THE 
came  TRHIL 


•NRLF 


BY 

EDWAR.D 
S,€LLIS 


FOEE8T  AND  PEAIEIE  8ERlE8-No.  1 


THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL 


BY 

EDWARD  S.  ELLIS 

AUTHOR  OF  THE  "WYOMING  SERIES,"  "LOO  CABIN  SERIES 
"DEEHFOOT  SERIES,"  ETC. 


THE  JOHN  C.  WINSTON  CO., 

PHILADELPHIA, 
CHICAGO,  TORONTO. 


COPYRIGHT,  I894» 

BY 
POETER  &  COATBSk 


£47 


q 

CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.    AT  THE  RANCH 1 

II.  AN  ALARMING  INTERRUPTION,           .       .          10 

III.  JUST  IN  TIME, 19 

IV.  A  DESPERATE  VENTURE,     .        .        .       .          28 
V.  UPSTAIRS  AND  DOWNSTAIRS,           ...      36 

VI.  DINAH'S  DISCOVERY,  ....  44 

VII.  DINAH'S  EXPLOIT,  .  .  .  .52 

VIII.  IN  THE  MESQUITE  BUSH,  .  .  .  >  .  61 

IX.  AT  FAULT,  .......  69 

X.  A  SURPRISE, 77 

XI.  CHANGING  PLACES,  .  ...  .  .  .85 

XII.  ON  THE  ROOF,      ......         94 

XIII.  A  DEAD  RACE, 102 

XIV.  THE  FRIEND  IN  NEED,       ....        Ill 
XV.    VANISHED, 119 

XVI.    CLEVERLY  DONE, 127 

XVII.  AT  FAULT,        .       .       .       .       .       .       .132 

XVIII.  AN  UNEXPECTED  QUERY,    .               .       .        143 

XIX.  DOWN  THE  LADDER,        .       .       .       .       .    151 

XX.  "  THE  BOYS  HAVE  ARRIVED,"    .       .       .        159 

XXI.  THROUGH  THE  BUSH,       .       .       .       .       .167 

XXII.  THUNDERBOLT,     .        .        .       .       .       .        180 

iii 


iv 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER 

PAGE 

XXIII. 

"GOOD-BY!" 

.     191 

XXIV. 

A  STRANGE  DELAY, 

203 

XXV. 

HEADING  NORTHWARD, 

.     216 

XXVI. 

A  SHOT  FROM  THE  DARKNESS, 

.      .  228 

XXVII. 

SHACKAYE,  THE  COMANCHE, 

.        .        .     238 

XXVIII. 

A  MISHAP,         .... 

247 

XXIX. 

OLD  ACQUAINTANCES,           . 

.        .        .258 

XXX. 

AT  BAY,     .        .        .        . 

264 

XXXI. 

THE  FLAG  OF  TRUCE, 

.    276 

XXXII. 

DIPLOMACY,        .... 

288 

XXXIII. 

DRIVEN  TO  THE  WALL, 

.        .        .295 

XXXIV. 

THE  FLANK  MOVEMENT, 

.        .         301 

THE  GBEAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 


CHAPTER  I. 

AT  THE  RANCH. 

AVON  BUENET,  at  the  age  of  eighteen, 
-£^-  was  one  of  the  finest  horsemen  that  ever 
scurried  over  the  plains  of  Western  Texas, 
on  his  matchless  mustang  Thunderbolt. 

He  was  a  native  of  the  Lone  Star  State, 
where,  until  he  was  thirteen  years  old,  he 
attended  the  common  school,  held  in  a  log 
cabin  within  three  miles  of  his  home,  after 
which  he  went  to  live  with  his  uncle,  Captain 
Dohm  Shirril,  with  whom  the  orphan  son  of 
his  sister  had  been  a  favorite  from  infancy. 

Avon  was  bright,  alert,  unusually  active, 
and  exceedingly  fond  of  horses  from  the  time 
he  was  able  to  walk.  His  uncle  had  served 
through  the  Civil  War  in  the  Confederate 


2         THE  GEEAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

army,  returning  to  Texas  at  the  close  of 
hostilities,  thoroughly  "reconstructed,"  and 
only  anxious  to  recover  his  fortunes,  which 
had  been  scattered  to  the  four  winds  of 
heaven  during  the  long,  bitter  struggle. 

The  captain  had  no  children  of  his  own, 
and  it  was  natural,  therefore,  that  he  and 
his  wife  should  feel  the  strongest  attach- 
ment for  the  boy  who  was  placed  in  their 
care,  and  who,  should  his  life  be  spared, 
would  inherit  whatever  his  new  parents  might 
be  able  to  leave  behind  them  when  called  to 
depart. 

Avon  had  reached  the  age  named,  when  to 
his  delight  he  was  told  that  he  was  to  accom- 
pany the  large  herd  of  cattle  which  was  to  be 
driven  northward,  through  upper  Texas,  the 
Indian  Nation,  and  Kansas  over  the  Great 
Cattle  Trail,  along  which  hundreds  of  thou- 
sands of  hoofs  have  tramped  during  the  years 
preceding  and  following  the  War  for  the 
Union. 

Young  as  was  our  hero,  he  had  served  his 
apprenticeship  at  the  cattle  business,  and  was 
an  expert  at  the  round-up,  in  branding,  in  cut- 


AT  THE  KANCH.  3 

ting  out,  in  herding,  and  all  the  arduous  re- 
quirements of  a  cowboy's  life.  It  was  under- 
stood, therefore,  that  he  was  to  be  rated  as  a 
full  hand  among  the  eight  men  who,  under  his 
uncle,  were  to  have  charge  of  two  thousand 
cattle  about  to  start  on  the  long  tramp  north- 
ward. 

"It's  the  hardest  kind  of  work,"  said  the 
captain  to  his  nephew,  as  the  two  sat  in  the 
low,  flat  structure  where  the  veteran  made  his 
home,  with  his  wife  and  one  colored  servant, 
"but  I  haven't  any  fear  that  you  will  not  pull 
through  all  right." 

"If  I  am  not  able  to  do  so  now,  I  never  shall 
be,"  replied  Avon,  with  a  smile,  as  he  sat  on 
the  rough,  home-made  stool,  slowly  whittling 
a  piece  of  wood,  while  his  aunt,  looking  up 
from  her  sewing,  remarked  in  her  quiet  way : 

"It  will  be  lonesome  without  Avon." 

"But  not  so  bad  as  when  uncle  was  off  to 
the  war,"  ventured  the  youth,  gazing  affection- 
ately at  the  lady. 

The  captain  was  sitting  with  his  legs 
crossed,  slowly  smoking  the  old  briarwood 
which  he  had  carried  through  many  a  fierce 


4         THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

campaign,  and  seemingly  sunk  in  deep 
thought.  Like  his  nephew,  he  was  clad  in 
the  strong  serviceable  costume  of  the  Texan 
cowboy,  his  broad  sombrero  resting  with 
a  number  of  blankets  on  pegs  in  the  wall. 

It  was  evening,  with  a  cold,  piercing  wind 
almost  like  one  of  the  cutting  northers  blow- 
ing around  the  homely  structure.  The  herd 
were  gathered  at  a  point  about  five  miles  to 
the  northward,  whence  the  real  start  was  to 
be  made  at  an  early  hour  on  the  morrow. 
This  arrangement  permitted  the  captain  and 
his  young  friend  to  spend  their  last  night 
at  home. 

"No,"  replied  Mrs.  Shirril,  referring  to  the 
last  remark  of  her  nephew,  "there  never  can 
be  any  worse  days  than  those,  when  I  did  not 
know  whether  your  uncle  had  not  been  dead 
for  weeks  or  possibly  months." 

"You  must  have  had  pretty  tough  times, 
aunt." 

"Well,  they  might  have  been  improved, 
but  Dinah  and  I  managed  to  get  along  a  great 
deal  better  than  some  of  our  neighbors. 
Here  in  Texas  we  were  so  far  from  the  war 


AT  THE  RANCH.  O 

that  I  may  say  I  never  heard  a  hostile  shot 
fired,  except  by  the  Indians  who  came  down 
this  way  now  and  then." 

"  They  were  the  same,  I  suppose,  that  still 
trouble  us." 

"  I  believe  so,  mostly  Comanches  and  some- 
times Kioways,  with  perhaps  others  that  we 
didn't  know.  They  did  much  to  prevent  our 
life  from  becoming  dull,"  added  the  brave 
little  lady,  with  another  smile. 

"  The  women  in  those  days  had  to  know 
how  to  shoot  the  rifle,  ride  horses,  and  do  the 
work  of  the  absent  men." 

"  I  don't  know  how  we  could  have  got  along 
if  we  hadn't  learned  all  those  things.  For 
years  I  never  knew  the  taste  of  coffee,  and 
only  rarely  was  able  to  obtain  a  pinch  of 
coarse  brown  sugar  ;  but  we  did  not  suffer  for 
meat,  and,  with  the  help  of  Dinah,  we  could 
get  a  few  things  out  of  the  earth,  so  that,  on 
the  whole,  I  think  I  had  much  easier  times 
than  my  husband." 

"I  am  not  so  sure  of  that,"  remarked  Cap- 
tain Shirril,  rousing  himself  ;  "  we  had  rough 
days  and  nights,  beyond  all  doubt,  but  after 


6         THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

all,  there  was  something  about  it  which  had 
its  charm.  There  was  an  excitement  in  battle, 
a  thrill  in  the  desperate  ride  when  on  a  scout, 
a  glory  in  victory,  and  even  a  grim  satisfaction 
in  defeat,  caused  by  the  belief  that  we  were 
not  conquered,  or  that,  if  we  were  driven 
back,  it  was  by  Americans,  and  not  by 
foreigners." 

"  That's  an  odd  way  of  putting  it,"  re- 
marked the  wife,  "but  was  it  not  the  high 
health,  which  you  all  felt  because  of  your 
rough  outdoor  life  ?  You  know  when  a  per- 
son is  strong  and  rugged,  he  can  stand  almost 
anything,  and  find  comfort  in  that  which  at 
any  other  time  brings  only  wretchedness 
and  suffering." 

"  I  suppose  that  had  a  good  deal  to  do  with 
it,  and  that,  too,  may  have  had  much  to  do 
with  sustaining  you  and  Dinah  in  your 
loneliness." 

The  captain  raised  his  eyes  and  looked  at 
two  old-fashioned  muzzle-loading  rifles,  sus- 
pended on  a  couple  of  deer's  antlers  over  the 
fireplace,  and  smiling  through  his  shaggy 
whiskers,  said  : 


AT  THE  RANCH.  7 

"You  found  them  handy  in  those  days, 
Edna?" 

"  We  never  could  have  got  along  without 
them.  They  served  to  bring  down  a  mav- 
erick, or  one  of  our  own  cattle,  when  we  were 
nearly  starving,  arid  sometimes  they  helped 
drive  off  the  Indians." 

Captain  Shirril  shifted  his  position,  as 
though  uneasy  over  something.  His  wife, 
who  was  familiar  with  all  his  moods,  looked 
inquiringly  at  him. 

"  What  troubles  you,  Dohm  ?" 

"  If  I  hadn't  promised  Avon  that  he  should 
go  with  me  northward,  I  would  make  him 
stay  at  home." 

Wife  and  nephew  stared  wonderingly  at  him. 

"The  Comanches  have  been  edging  down 
this  way  for  more  than  a  week  past ;  I  believe 
they  mean  to  make  trouble." 

It  would  be  supposed  that  such  an 
announcement  as  this  caused  dismay,  but  it 
did  not.  Even  Dinah,  who  was  busy  about 
her  household  duties,  and  who  heard  the 
remark,  paused  only  a  moment  to  turn  up 
her  nose  and  say  scornfully : 


8         THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

"If  dey've  done  forgot  how  we  allers  sarve 
de  likes  ob  dem,  jes'  let  'em  try  it  agin. 
Dat's  all." 

She  was  a  tall,  muscular  negress,  whom 
an  ordinary  man  might  hesitate  to  make 
angry.  She  passed  to  another  part  of  the 
room,  after  muttering  the  words,  and 
seemed  to  feel  no  further  interest  in  a  sub- 
ject which  ought  to  have  made  her  blood 
tingle  with  excitement. 

"If  the  Comanches  are  hovering  anywhere 

in  the  neighborhood,"    said  Mrs.    Shirril  in 

her  gentle  way,  "it  is  in  the  hope  of  running 

off  some  of  the  cattle;    you  have  them  all 

herded  and  under  such  careful  care  that  this 

cannot  be  done.     When  the  Indians  find  you 

have  started  northward  with  them,  they  will 

follow    or    go    westward    to  their    hunting 

grounds ;    surely  they  will   not  stay  Tiere" 

"I  wish  I  could  believe  as  you  do." 

"And  why  can't  you,  husband?" 

"Because    Indian    nature    is    what    it    is; 

you  understand  that  as  well  as  I.     Finding 

that    they  cannot    steal    any  of    our  cattle, 

they    will    try    to    revenge    themselves    by 


AT  THE  RANCH.  9 

burning  my  home  and  slaying  my  wife  and 

servant." 

"But  they  have  tried  that  before." 
"True,   but  their   failures    are  no  ground 

to  believe  they  will  fail  again." 

"It  is  the  best  ground  we  can  have  for 

such  belief." 


CHAPTER  II. 

AN  ALARMING  INTERRUPTION. 

"  ~T~F  you  think  it  best  that  I  shall  stay  at 
JL  home,   I  will  do  so,"   said  the  young 
man,  striving  hard  to  repress  the  disappoint- 
ment the  words  caused  him. 

uNo;  you  shall  not,"  the  wife  hastened 
to  interpose;  "  every  thing  has  been  ar- 
ranged for  you  to  go  with  your  uncle." 

"Was  there  ever  a  wife  like  you?" 
asked  the  captain  admiringly  ;  "  there  is  more 
pluck  in  that  little  frame  of  yours,  Edna, 
than  in  any  one  of  my  men.  Very  well ; 
Avon  will  go  with  us,  but  I  can  tell  you,  I 
shall  be  uneasy  until  I  get  back  again." 

uWe  have  neighbors,"  she  continued,  still 
busy  with  her  sewing,  "  and  if  we  need  help, 
can  get  it." 

"  I  declare,"  observed  the  captain  grimly, 
I  forgot  that ;  Jim  Kelton's  cabin  is  only 


i     .LVALgVJl*      LilLlli    ,       <J  LILL 

10 


AN  ALARMING  INTERRUPTION.  11 

eight  miles  to  the  south,  and  Dick  Halpine's 
is  but  ten  miles  to  the  east ;  if  the  redskins  do 
molest  you,  you  have  only  to  slip  in  next 
door  and  get  all  the  help  you  want." 

As  we  have  said,  it  was  a  chilly  night  in 
early  spring.  The  moon  was  hidden  by 
clouds,  so  that  one  could  see  but  a  short  dis- 
tance on  the  open  prairie.  A  fitful  wind  was 
blowing,  adding  to  the  discomfort  of  outdoors, 
and  causing  the  interior  of  the  cabin  to  be  the 
more  comfortable  by  contrast. 

But  a  few  rods  to  the  westward  was  a 
growth  of  mesquite  bush,  in  which  the  two 
mustangs  that  the  captain  and  his  nephew 
expected  to  ride  were  wandering  at  will.  The 
animals  were  so  trained  that  either  would 
come  at  the  whistle  of  his  master,  who,  there- 
fore, felt  sure  of  finding  him  at  command 
when  wanted — that  is,  provided  no  outsiders 
disturbed  him.  This  mesquite  growth,  con- 
sisting of  open  bushes  which  attain  a  height 
of  eight  or  ten  feet,  extended  over  an  area  of 
several  acres,  affording  the  best  kind  of  hid- 
ing-place for  man  or  animal. 

The  signs   of    their  old    enemies,   the    Co- 


12       THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

manches,  to  which  Captain  Shirril  referred, 
had  been  noticed  by  his  men,  including  young 
Avon  Burnet.  They  had  seen  the  smoke  of 
camp-fires  in  the  distance,  had  observed 
parties  of  horsemen  galloping  to  and  fro,  and, 
in  fact,  had  exchanged  shots  with  the  dusky 
marauders  when  they  ventured  too  near  in 
the  darkness. 

There  could  be  no  doubt  that  these  fellows 
were  on  the  watch  for  a  chance  to  stampede 
the  cattle,  but  the  vigilance  of  the  cowboys 
prevented  that  disaster.  Most  of  the  latter 
believed  the  Comanches  would  hover  on 
their  flank,  probably  until  the  beasts  were 
well  out  of  Texas  and  far  over  the  line  in  the 
Indian  Nation  or  Kansas.  That  they  would 
stay  behind  to  avenge  themselves  upon  the 
wife  and  servant  of  the  captain  was  not  to  be 
believed.  The  wife  was  equally  certain  on 
that  point,  so  their  leader  suffered  himself 
to  be  persuaded  that  his  misgivings  were 
groundless. 

But  this  feeling  of  security,  which  was  felt 
by  all,  suffered  a  startling  interruption. 

When  Captain  Shirril  erected  his  humble 


AN  ALARMING  INTERRUPTION.  13 

cabin  several  years  before,  he  did  not  forget 
the  danger  to  which  he  was  certain  to  be 
exposed  from  the  Indians.  The  wooden  walls 
were  heavy  and  bullet-proof,  and  the  door 
was  capable  of  being  barred  so  strongly  at 
an  instant's  warning,  that  nothing  less  than 
a  battering  ram  could  drive  it  inward.  The 
windows  were  too  narrow  to  admit  the  pas- 
sage of  the  most  elongated  redskin  that  ever 
wormed  himself  into  the  camp  of  an  enemy. 
The  structure  was  long  and  low,  with  an 
upper  story,  in  which  the  cowboys  slept  when- 
ever it  was  advisable  to  do  so. 

"You  have  had  so  much  experience  with 
this  kind  of  business,"  said  the  captain, 
4 'that  I  suppose  I  ought  not  to  feel  uneasy, 
even  if  I  knew  you  would  be  attacked,  for 
there  are  two  guns  here  ready  for  you  and 
Dinah,  and  you  have  both  proven  that  you 
understand  how  to  use  the  weapons ;  there 
is  plenty  of  ammunition,  too,  and  since  you 
have  had  full  warning  of  what  may  possibly 
take  place " 

At  that  instant  the  resounding  report  of 
a  rifle  broke  the  stillness  on  the  outside, 


14       THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TEAIL. 

there  was  a  jingle  of  glass,  and  the  pipe 
which  Captain  Shirril  had  held  in  his  mouth 
while  talking  was  shattered  as  if  from  the 
explosion  of  a  torpedo  within  the  bowl. 

Nothing  could  have  shown  the  wonderful 
training  of  this  little  family  in  the  perils  of 
the  frontier  more  strikingly  than  did  their 
actions  at  this  moment.  Not  a  word  was 
spoken,  but  almost  at  the  instant  the  alarm- 
ing occurrence  took  place,  the  captain,  his 
wife,  and  his  nephew  leaped  backward  with 
lightning-like  quickness.  The  movement 
took  the  three  out  of  range  of  the  two  win- 
dows at  the  front  of  the  house,  with  the 
door  midway  between,  those  being  the  only 
openings  on  the  lower  floor. 

Dinah  happened  to  be  at  the  extreme  rear, 
where  she  was  safe  for  the  time.  She  was 
about  to  advance,  when  checked  by  the  crash 
of  the  window  pane  and  the  crack  of  the  rifle. 

"For  de  Lawd's  sake,"  she  exclaimed, 
"de  warmints  hab  come!" 

"  So  they  have,"  replied  the  captain,  rising 
upright  from  his  crouching  posture,  "  and  see 
what  they  have  done  !  " 


AN  ALARMING  INTERRUPTION.  15 

He  held  up  the  stem  of  his  pipe,  which  he 
had  kept  between  his  teeth  during  the  excit- 
ing moments,  with  such  a  grim  expression  of 
woe  that,  despite  the  frightful  incident,  his 
wife  and  even  Avon  smiled. 

"It  is  a  pity  indeed,"  she  said,  "you  will 
have  to  use  your  new  one,  and  I  know  how 
much  that  will  pain  you." 

"They  shall  pay  for  this,"  he  added  with  a 
shake  of  his  head. 

Fortunately  the  rifles  of  himself  and 
nephew  were  leaning  in  the  corner,  where 
they  could  be  readily  seized  without  expos- 
ing themselves  to  another  treacherous  shot. 
The  men  laid  hands  on  them  at  once. 

The  weapons  were  of  the  repeating  kind, 
and  among  the  best  that  money  could  buy 
in  San  Antonio. 

The  two  guns  belonging  to  Mrs.  Shirril  and 
their  servant  rested  together  on  the  deer's 
prongs  over  the  mantel,  and,  to  reach  them, 
one  must  expose  himself  to  another  shot  from 
the  outside. 

Following  the  rifle  report,  the  sound  of 
horses'  hoofs  were  heard  galloping  rapidly 


16  THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

around  the  cabin.  The  captain  listened  in- 
tently  for  a  moment,  holding  one  hand  aloft 
as  a  signal  for  the  others  to  keep  silent. 

"  There's  fully  a  dozen  of  them,"  he  said  a 
minute  later  in  a  low  voice. 

"But  they  know  you  and  Avon  are  here," 
added  his  wife,  who  was  standing  motionless 
just  behind  him,  without  any  evidence  of 
excitement  except  that  her  face  was  a  shade 
paler  than  usual. 

"I  should  think  so,  judging  from  that,"  he 
replied,  spitting  the  stem  of  his  pipe  upon 
the  floor;  "but  I  must  get  those  guns  for 
you." 

"  Don't  think  of  it,"  she  persisted,  laying 
her  hand  on  his  shoulder;  "you  will  surely 
be  shot,  and  there's  no  need  of  them  yet." 

"You  may  as  well  begin  at  once;  you 
haven't  had  any  practice  for  months." 

Gently  removing  the  hand  of  his  wife, 
whom  he  loved  as  he  did  his  life,  the  captain, 
holding  his  own  gun  in  hand,  began  moving 
stealthily  across  the  floor  toward  the  fireplace. 
Had  he  been  on  his  feet,  he  must  have  been 
observed  by  anyone  in  the  position  of  the 


AN  ALARMING  INTERRUPTION.  17 

savage  that  had  fired  the  shot  which  was  so 
well-nigh  fatal,  but,  while  so  close  to  the  floor, 
he  would  not  be  seen  by  any  Comanche  unless 
he  was  quite  close  to  the  window. 

The  redskin  might  and  might  not  be  there : 
that  risk  must  be  taken,  or  the  guns  would 
have  to  be  left  alone  for  the  time. 

Mrs.  Shirril  was  more  disturbed  than  ever, 
for  she  knew  as  well  as  did  her  husband  the 
risk  he  ran,  but  she  knew,  too,  that,  when  he 
once  decided  to  do  a  thing,  it  was  idle  to  seek 
to  restrain  him. 

The  burning  wood  threw  an  illumination 
through  the  room  which  rendered  any  other 
light  unnecessary,  and  the  captain  could  not 
have  been  in  clearer  view  had  the  midday 
sun  been  shining.  Nevertheless  he  crept 
slowly  forward,  until  in  front  of  the  fireplace. 
Then  he  paused  to  consider  which  of  two 
methods  he  had  in  mind-  was  the  better  for 
obtaining  the  weapons. 

The  Comanches  were  still  circling  back  and 

forth  on  the  outside,  uttering  their  whoops 

and  firing  their  guns  at  intervals,  though  the 

latter  consisted  of  blind  shooting,  and  was 

2 


18        THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

meant  to  terrify  the  defenders,  since  none  of 
the  bullets  found  its  way  through  either  of 
the  windows. 

Captain  Shirril  took  but  a  few  seconds  to 
decide  upon  his  course  of  action. 


CHAPTER  III. 

JUST  IN  TIME. 

as  closely  to  the  floor  of  the 
J— '  cabin  as  he  could,  the  Texan  advanced 
until  directly  in  front  of  the  crackling  fire, 
when  lie  reached  up  with  his  Winchester, 
which  was  grasped  near  the  muzzle.  By 
this  means  he  placed  the  stock  directly 
beneath  the  two  weapons  resting  on  the  deer 
antlers. 

With  a  deftness  that  would  hardly  have 
been  expected,  he  raised  both  guns  until 
their  stocks  were  lifted  clear  off  their  sup- 
port,  when  he  began  gently  lowering  them, 
so  as  to  bring  them  within  his  reach.  He 
might  have  flirted  them  free  by  a  single 
quick  movement  and  let  them  fall  upon 
the  floor ;  but  he  wished  to  avoid  this,  since 
he  ran  the  risk  of  injuring  them. 

None  knew  better  than  Avon  Burnet 

19 


20        THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TKAIL. 

great  danger  of  this  apparently  simple  act 
on  the  part  of  his  uncle.  The  chances  were 
so  immeasurably  in  favor  of  his  discovery 
that  he  was  certain  it  would  take  place. 
While  the  wife  and  servant  held  their 
breath  in  a  torture  of  suspense,  the  youth, 
with  his  cocked  rifle  firmly  grasped,  stole 
softly  along  the  side  of  the  cabin  until  close 
to  the  door.  In  reaching  the  spot,  he  stooped 
so  as  to  move  beyond  the  first  opening,  the 
proceeding  placing  him  between  the  windows, 
with  his  left  elbow  against  the  heavy  door. 

In  this  situation  his  nerves  were  at  the 
highest  tension.  Everything  was  in  plain 
sight,  but  he  was  listening  intently  to  the 
movements  of  his  enemies.  He  heard  the 
sounds  of  the  mustangs'  hoofs,  as  they 
circled  swiftly  about  the  cabin,  sometimes 
turning  quickly  upon  themselves,  and  at 
varying  distances  from  the  structure.  Now 
and  then  one  or  two  of  the  horsemen  would 
rein  up  abruptly,  as  if  striving  to  peer 
through  the  openings,  or  about  to  apply  for 
admission. 

It   may  seem  incredible,  but  there   is  no 


JUST  IN  TIME.  21 

reason  to  doubt  the  fact  that,  at  the  moment 
Captain  Shirril  began  cautiously  reaching 
upward  with  his  weapon,  the  youth  heard 
one  of  the  Comanches  slip  down  from  the 
back  of  his  mustang  and  approach  the 
door.  His  hand  moved  softly  over  the 
rough  surface,  as  though  searching  for  the 
latch  string,  which  was  generally  hanging 
out ;  and,  finding  it  not,  he  began  stealing 
to  the  window  just  beyond. 

This  was  the  very  thing  Avon  dreaded 
above  all  others,  for  it  was  inevitable  that 
he  should  detect  the  figure  of  the  Texan 
operating  so  guardedly  in  front  of  the  fire. 

Such  proved  to  be  the  fact.  Whether  the 
youth  actually  observed  the  action  of  the 
Indian,  or  whether  he  fancied  he  heard  him 
moving  along  the  side  of  the  house,  cannot 
be  said  with  certainty ;  but  a  faint  rustle  in 
front  of  the  shattered  glass  made  known 
that  the  dusky  miscreant  was  there,  and 
had  detected  the  stratagem  of  the  Texan, 
who  at  that  moment  was  in  the  act  of 
lowering  the  gun  from  the  deer's  prongs 
over  the  mantel. 


22        THE  GKEAT  CATTLE  TKAIL. 

His  uncle  was  so  clearly  in  his  field  of 
vision  that,  without  looking  at  him,  Avon 
did  not  miss  the  slightest  movement,  but 
his  whole  attention  was  fixed  on  the  win* 
dow,  and  it  was  well  it  was  so. 

"Look!   look!    Avon,  do  you  see  that?" 

It  was  his  aunt  who  uttered  the  terrified 
question  with  a  gasp,  as  she  pointed  at  the 
narrow  opening. 

The  youth  had  observed  the  object  which 
appalled  the  lady ;  the  muzzle  of  a  gun  was 
slowly  gliding  through  the  window. 

Captain  Shirril  had  been  discovered,  and 
the  Comanche  was  fixing  his  weapon  in 
position  to  fire  a  fatal  shot.  He  might  hare 
stood  back  a  couple  of  paces  and  discharged 
it  without  revealing  his  presence,  but  a 
better  aim  could  be  secured  by  thrusting  a 
few  inches  of  the  barrel  into  the  room. 

At  the  instant  the  dark  muzzle  showed 
itself  and  the  gleam  of  the  firelight  was 
reflected  from  it,  Avon  leaned  his  own  rifle 
against  the  door  at  his  side,  quickly  drew 
his  revolver  from  the  holster  at  his  hip, 
sprang  forward  like  a  cat,  and  seizing  the 


JUST  IN  TIME.  23 

muzzle  of  the  gun  threw  it  upward  toward 
the  ceiling. 

It  was  done  in  the  nick  of  time,  for  the 
Comanche  pressed  the  trigger  just  then,  and 
the  bullet  which,  hajd  Avon's  action  been  de- 
layed a  single  moment,  would  have  killed 
Captain  Shirril,  was  buried  in  the  timbers 
overhead. 

The  daring  act  brought  the  youth  directly 
in  front  of  the  window,  where  for  the  instant 
he  was  exposed  to  any  shot  from  the  out- 
side. 

As  he  made  the  leap  he  saw  the  face  of  the 
warrior,  agleam  with  paint  and  distorted  with 
passion,  but  slightly  flustered  by  the  unac- 
countable occurrence.  Before  he  could  re- 
cover, and  at  the  same  instant,  Avon  darted 
his  revolver  through  the  shattered  window 
pane  and  let  fly  with  two  chambers  in  quick 
succession.  An  ear-splitting  screech  and  a 
heavy  fall  left  little  doubt  of  the  success  of 
the  daring  act.  The  Comanche  had  not  only 
been  hit,  but  hit  hard. 

Although  startled  by  the  noise  and  flurry, 
Captain  Shirril  was  too  much  of  a  veteran  to 


24  THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

be  taken  at  fault.  His  big  right  hand  closed 
around  the  two  weapons  for  which  he  had  run 
all  this  risk,  and  partly  straightening  up,  he 
bounded  to  the  rear  of  the  little  room  with 
three  rifles  secure  in  his  grasp,  and  with  not 
a  hair  of  his  head  harmed. 

Avon  was  as  much  on  the  alert  as  he,  and 
reached  the  shelter  at  the  same  moment. 

"It  was  confoundedly  more  risky  than  I 
supposed,"  remarked  the  captain,  with  a 
smile  and  a  shake  of  his  head,  "  but  all's  well 
that  ends  well ;  I  guess  you  dropped  him,  my 
boy." 

"I  shouldn't  wonder,  for  I  couldn't  have 
had  a  better  chance,"  was  the  modest  reply 
of  the  youth. 

"It  was  one  of  the  neatest  things  I  ever 
saw,  and  I'm  proud  of  you,"  exclaimed  his 
relative,  slapping  him  affectionately  on  the 
shoulder.  UI  said  you  would  count  as  a  full 
hand  on  the  trip  to  Kansas,  but  at  this  rate 
you'll  add  up  double." 

Avon  blushed  as  he  used  to  do  in  school, 
when  his  teacher  praised  him  for  excellent 
lessons,  and  made  no  answer,  but  the  eyes  of 


JUST  IN  TIME.  25 

his  aunt  kindled  with  love  for  the  brave 
fellow  who,  by  his  readiness  of  resource,  had 
saved  her  husband's  life.  Even  Dinah,  with 
whom  he  had  always  been  a  favorite,  added 
an  expression  of  affection  for  the  boy  who  had 
done  so  well. 

There  were  now  two  men  and  two  women 
within  the  Texan's  cabin,  and  each  held  a 
trusty  weapon,  while  there  was  plenty  of 
ammunition  for  all.  It  might  well  be  asked, 
therefore,  what  cause  they  had  for  alarm. 

Outside  were  a  dozen  or  more  savage  Co- 
manches,  who  are  among  the  finest  horsemen 
in  the  world,  and  who  in  fighting  ability  and 
bravery  are  surpassed  by  none,  unless  the 
Apaches  of  the  Southwest. 

It  was  a  piece  of  daring  on  the  part  of  these 
dusky  raiders  thus  to  attack  the  cabin,  when 
they  knew  how  well  it  was  defended.  Cap- 
tain Shirril  was  probably  right  in  supposing 
they  believed  that  he  and  his  nephew  were 
with  the  rest  of  the  cowboys,  watching  the 
herd  five  miles  away.  Finding  the  couple 
in  the  cabin,  they  could  not  resist  the  tempta- 
tion to  bring  down  the  head  of  the  household, 


26        THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

after  which  they  must  have  supposed  the  rest 
would  be  an  easy  task. 

But  having  failed,  probably  they  would 
have  withdrawn  but  for  the  shot  of  Avon 
Burnet,  that  had  brought  down  one  of  their 
best  warriors,  and  their  well-known  desire  for 
revenge  urged  them  to  the  most  desperate 
measures  against  the  whites. 

But  a  few  minutes'  whispered  conference 
at  the  rear  of  the  cabin  brought  to  light  the 
fact  that  every  one  of  our  friends,  including 
even  Dinah,  understood  that  their  peril  was 
of  the  gravest  nature  conceivable. 

The  structure  of  the  cabin  was  so  thor- 
oughly seasoned  by  its  years  of  exposure  that 
it  would  be  an  easy  matter  for  their  assail- 
ants to  set  fire  to  it,  and  that  they  would 
make  the  attempt  was  not  to  be  doubted. 
They  always  prepared  for  such  action,  and 
none  knew  better  than  they  its  fearful  effec- 
tiveness. 

"  We  might  reach  the  boys  by  means  of  the 
reports  of  our  guns,"  said  the  captain,  "if  the 
wind  were  not  the  wrong  way,  but  they  won't 
catch  the  first  sound,  especially  as  they  will 


JUST  IN  TIME.  27 

have  their  hands  full  in  looking  after  the 
cattle. " 

"But  dey  will  obsarve  de  light  ob  de  fiah," 
suggested  Dinah. 

"  Undoubtedly,  but  when  they  do  see  it," 
said  her  master,  "it  will  be  too  late  to  help  us. 
They  haven't  a  suspicion  of  anything  of  this 
kind  ;  if  they  had,  they  would  be  down  here 
like  so  many  cyclones." 

"  There  is  one  way  of  letting  them  know," 
said  Avon. 

"What's  that ?" 

"By  carrying  word  to  them,  and  Pm  going 
to  try  it!" 


CHAPTER  IV. 

A  DESPERATE  VENTURE. 

THE  family  of  Texans  were  not  the  ones 
to  indulge  in  sentimentality  or  useless 
speculations  when  action  was  demanded. 
The  first  feeling  of  amazement  following 
Avon's  announcement  of  his  resolution 
quickly  passed,  but  his  uncle  deemed  it  his 
duty  to  impress  upon  him  the  desperate 
nature  of  his  scheme. 

"I  don't  see  one  chance  in  twenty  of  your 
succeeding,"  said  he. 

"  And  if  I  stay  what  are  the  chances  for  us 
all?" 

"  Possibly  one  in  a  hundred." 

"Then  I  shall  go,"  he  quietly  replied,  com- 
pressing his  lips  as  his  fine  eyes  kindled. 

"  There  is  hope,  if  you  can  reach  the  bush, 
but  the  rub  will  be  to  do  that." 

"They  grow  close  to  the  house,  and  the 


A  DESPERATE  VENTURE.  29 

Comanches  will  not  be  looking  for  any  attempt 
of  that  kind." 

" Is  it  not  best  to  wait  until  later?"  asked 
Mrs.  Shirril. 

"No,"  was  the  sensible  response  of  her 
nephew ;  "  the  prospect  of  success  will  de- 
crease with  every  passing  minute.  They  will 
think,  and  with  reason,  that  we  have  repelled 
their  first  attack  so  sharply  that  we  are  con- 
fident of  beating  them  off  altogether.  After  a 
time,  when  things  begin  to  look  bad  for  us, 
they  will  look  for  something  of  that  nature, 
and  be  so  well  prepared  for  it  that  it  will  be 
hopeless." 

"  He  is  right,"  assented  the  captain.  "I 
don' t  ask  you  to  try  it,  Avon,  but,  if  you  are 
determined  to  do  so,  now  is  the  time." 

"My  sentiments  exactly,  and  I'm  going." 

He  dreaded  anything  in  the  nature  of  a 
scene,  one  reason  for  his  moving  so  promptly 
being  his  desire  to  avert  such  a  trial. 

But  now  that  the  momentous  step  was 
decided  upon,  the  all-important  question 
remained  as  to  the  best  means  of  making  the 
start. 


30        THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

The  whole  interior  of  the  lower  story  was 
so  brightly  illuminated  by  the  blaze  on  the 
hearth  that  the  moment  the  door  was  opened, 
even  for  only  a  few  inches,  it  would  show 
from  the  outside.  Anxious  as  Avon  was  to 
be  off,  he  knew  better  than  to  start  under 
such  conditions. 

"The  sooner  that  fire  goes  out,  the  better 
for  all  of  us,"  said  the  captain;  "it  is  too 
tempting  to  the  scamps." 

On  the  row  of  pegs  near  him  hung  several 
heavy  blankets,  such  as  are  used  by  all 
plainsmen  and  cowboys.  Those  which  the 
captain  and  his  nephew  meant  to  take  on 
their  journey  northward  were  in  camp  five 
miles  away. 

Setting  down  his  gun,  he  lifted  one  of  the 
heavy  pieces  of  cloth,  whose  texture,  like  the 
celebrated  blankets  of  the  Navajoe  Indians, 
was  almost  close  enough  to  be  waterproof. 
He  paused  for  a  minute  to  adjust  the  folds, 
and  then,  forgetful  of  the  danger  he  had  run 
a  short  time  before,  he  stepped  hastily  across 
the  room,  and  stooping  down  flung  the  blanket 
over  the  blaze  so  as  to  enclose  it  entirely. 


A  DESPERATE  VENTUKE.  31 

The  effect  was  instantaneous.  The  room 
was  wrapped  in  darkness  as  dense  as  that 
outside,' though  the  consequences  of  the  act 
promised  to  be  anything  but  pleasant  in  the 
course  of  a  few  minutes. 

"Now,  Avon,  is  your  time!"  called  the 
captain  in  an  undertone. 

"I'm  off;  good-by,"  came  from  the  gloom 
near  the  door,  where  the  sounds  showed  that 
he  was  engaged  in  raising  the  ponderous  bar 
from  its  sockets. 

Captain  Shirril  stepped  hurriedly  to  the 
spot,  and  found  the  door  closed  but  un- 
fastened. Even  in  his  haste  the  youth  did 
not  forget  to  shut  it  behind  him,  leaving  to 
his  friends  the  duty  of  securing  it  in  place. 

"  He  is  gone  ;  God  be  with  him  !  "  he  whis- 
pered to  his  wife  and  servant,  who  with  pain- 
fully throbbing  hearts  had  stepped  to  his  side. 

While  speaking,  he  refastened  the  struc- 
ture, and  in  less  time  than  it  has  taken  to 
tell  it  everything  inside  was  as  before,  with 
the  exception  that  where  there  had  been  four 
persons,  there  were  now  only  three. 

All  forgot  their  own  danger  for  the  moment 


32  THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

in  their  anxiety  for  the  youth,  who  had  so 
eagerly  risked  his  own  life  to  save  them  from 
death. 

Bending  his  head,  the  captain  held  his  ear 
against  the  tiny  opening  through  which  the 
latchkey  had  been  drawn  earlier  in  the  even- 
ing, when  the  heavy  bar  was  put  in  place. 
The  Texan  was  listening  with  all  the  intent- 
ness  possible. 

"  It  seems  impossible  that  he  should  get 
away,"  was  his  thought,  "and  yet  the  very 
boldness  of  his  plan  may  give  it  success." 

The  shot  from  within  the  cabin,  followed 
so  soon  by  the  complete  darkening  of  the 
interior,  must  have  caused  some  confusion 
among  the  Comanches,  for  otherwise  Avon 
would  have  been  shot  or  captured  the  moment 
he  stepped  outside  of  the  cabin. 

For  the  space  of  two  or  three  seconds  Cap- 
tain Shirril  absolutely  heard  nothing,  except 
the  soft  sighing  of  the  night  wind  among  the 
mesquite  bushes  near  at  hand.  The  stillness 
could  not  have  been  more  profound  had  every 
living  thing  been  moved  to  a  distance  of  a  hun- 
dred miles. 


A  DESPERATE  VENTURE.  33 

He  had  listened  only  a  minute  or  two,  how- 
ever, when  he  heard  a  warrior  run  rapidly 
around  the  building,  coming  to  an  abrupt  stop 
directly  in  front  of  the  door.  Thus  he  and 
the  Texan  stood  within  a  few  inches  of  each 
other,  separated  only  by  the  heavy  structure, 
which,  for  the  time,  barred  all  entrance. 

Captain  Shirril  even  fancied  that  the  eye  of 
the  redskin  was  pressed  against  the  opening, 
in  the  vain  effort  to  gain  sight  of  the  interior. 
Had  the  Comanche  chosen  to  place  his  lips 
there,  how  readily  he  could  have  whispered 
into  the  ear  of  his  enemy ! 

That  the  Texan  was  right  in  suspecting  one 
of  the  warriors  was  so  very  near  was  proven 
a  moment  later,  when  a  second  Indian 
approached  with  his  mustang  on  the  walk, 
dropped  lightly  to  the  ground,  and  coming 
forward,  halted  so  close  to  the  door  that  he 
almost  touched  it. 

The  captain  knew  this  because  he  heard  the 
two  talking  in  low  tones.  He  understood  the 
tongue  of  the  dusky  miscreants,  but  though 
he  listened  closely,  could  not  catch  the  mean- 
ing of  a  word  that  passed  between  them. 
3 


34  THE  GREAT   CATTLE  TRAIL. 

Their  sentences  were  of  the  short,  jerky 
character  common  to  all  American  Indians, 
accompanied  by  a  peculiar  grunting,  which 
helped  to  obscure  their  meaning. 

The  unspeakable  relief  of  the  listener  was 
caused  by  the  awakening  of  hope  for  his 
nephew.  He  was  certainly  some  way  from  the 
cabin,  for  had  he  stayed  near  the  door,  dis- 
covery was  inevitable  by  the  two  warriors  now 
standing  there.  Indeed,  they  must  almost 
have  stumbled  over  him. 

But  he  might  be  still  within  a  few  paces, 
unable  to  stir  through  fear  of  detection. 
Extended  flat  on  the  ground,  on  the  alert  for 
the  first  possible  opening,  he  was  liable  to  dis- 
covery at  every  moment. 

In  fact,  so  far  as  Avon  was  concerned,  he 
had  crossed  the  Kubicon ;  for,  if  seen,  it  was 
impossible  to  re-enter  the  cabin,  the  door  of 
which  had  been  shut  and  barred. 

The  warriors  who  had  paused  in  front  of 
Captain  Shirril  kept  their  places  but  a  brief 
while,  when  they  moved  off  so  silently  that  he 
could  not  tell  the  direction  they  took.  Every- 
thing remained  still  for  several  minutes,  when 


A  DESPERATE  VENTURE.  35 

the  listener  once  more  fancied  he  heard  some- 
thing unusual. 

It  was  a  stir  among  the  mesquite  bushes, 
such  as  might  be  caused  by  a  puff  or  eddy  in 
the  wind,  which  blew  quite  steadily,  though 
with  moderate  force. 

He  was  listening  with  all  his  senses  strung 
to  the  highest  point,  when  the  stillness  was 
broken  by  the  report  of  a  rifle,  accompanied 
by  a  ringing  shriek,  both  coming  from  a  point 
within  a  few  rods  of  the  cabin.  The  hearts  of 
the  inmates  stood  still,  the  wife  alone  finding 
voice  to  exclaim  in  horrified  tones : 

"  Poor  Avon!  he  has  fallen  1  he  has  given 
his  life  for  us  1 " 


CHAPTER  V. 

UPSTAIRS  AND   DOWNSTAIRS. 

PROFOUND  stillness  followed  the  despair- 
ing exclamation  of  Mrs.  Shirril,  who  be- 
lieved that  her  nephew  had  gone  to  his  death 
while  trying  to  steal  away  from  the  cabin 
in  which  his  friends  were  held  at  bay  by  the 
Comanches. 

The  quiet  on  the  outside  was  as  deep  and 
oppressive  as  within.  There  was  the  sharp, 
resounding  report  of  the  rifle,  followed  on 
the  instant  by  the  wild  cry  of  mortal  pain, 
and  then  all  became  like  the  tomb  itself. 

It  was  singular  that  the  first  spark  of  hope 
was  kindled  by  the  words  of  the  colored  ser- 
vant, Dinah. 

"  What  makes  you  tink  de  boy  am  dead  \ " 
she  asked,  a  moment  after  the  woful  words 
of  her  mistress. 

" Didn't  you  hear  him  cry  out  just  now?" 


UPSTAIRS  AND  DOWNSTAIRS.  37 

"No;  I  didn't  hear  him  nor  did  you 
either;  dat  warn't  de  voice  ob  Avon." 

"How  can  you  know  that?"  asked  Mrs. 
Shirril,  beginning  to  feel  anew  hope  within  her. 

"Lor*  o'  massy!  habent  I  heerd  de  voice 
ob  dat  younker  offen  'nough  to  know  it 
'mong  ten  fousand?  Habent  I  heerd  him 
yell,  too  ?  he  neber  does  it  in  dat  style ; 
dat  war  an  Irrjin,  and  de  reason  dat  he 
screeched  out  in  dat  onmarciful  way  war 
'cause  he  got  in  de  path  ob  Avon  and  de 
boy  plugged  him." 

"By  gracious,  Dinah!  I  believe  you're 
right!"  was  the  exclamation  of  Captain 
Shirril,  so  joyous  over  the  rebound  from 
despair  that  he  was  ready  to  dance  a  break- 
down in  the  middle  of  the  floor. 

"  Course  I  is  right,  'cause  I  oilers  is 
right." 

"  I  suppose  there  is  some  reason  in  that, 
but  please  keep  quiet — both  of  you,  for  a 
few  minutes,  while  I  listen  further." 

The  women  were  standing  near  the  captain, 
who  once  more  inclined  his  head,  with  his  ear 
at  the  small  orifice  in  the  door. 


38        THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

The  seconds  seemed  minutes  in  length,  but 
as  they  wore  away,  nothing  definite  was  heard. 
Once  or  twice  the  tramp  of  horses'  feet  was 
noticed,  and  other  sounds  left  no  doubt  that 
most  of  the  Comanches  were  still  near  the 
dwelling. 

This  listening  would  have  lasted  longer,  but 
for  an  unpleasant  though  not  dangerous  inter- 
ruption. Dinah,  who  seemed  to  be  meeting 
with  some  trouble  in  her  respiration,  suddenly 
emitted  a  sneeze  of  such  prodigious  force  that 
her  friends  were  startled. 

It  was  not  necessary  for  them  to  enquire 
as  to  the  cause.  The  blanket  that  had  been 
thrown  upon  the  flames,  and  which  brought 
instant  night,  did  its  work  well,  but  it  was 
beginning  to  suffer  therefrom.  The  fire  was 
almost  smothered,  but  enough  air  reached 
it  around  the  edges  of  the  thick  cloth  to 
cause  it  to  burn  with  considerable  vigor,  and 
give  out  a  slight  illumination,  but,  worst  of 
all,  it  filled  the  room  with  dense,  overpower- 
ing smoke.  Breathing  was  difficult  and  the 
odor  dreadful. 

"This    will  never  do,"   said   the  captain, 


UPSTAIRS  AND  DOWNSTAIRS.  39 

glancing  at  the  fireplace,  where  the  glowing 
edges  of  the  blanket  were  growing  fast ;  "  we 
won't  be  able  to  breathe." 

His  first  thought  was  to  fling  another  blanket 
upon  the  embers,  thereby  extinguishing  them 
altogether,  but  his  wife  anticipated  him 
by  scattering  the  contents  of  the  water  pail 
with  such  judgment  over  the  young  conflagra- 
tion that  it  was  extinguished  utterly.  Dark- 
ness reigned  again,  but  the  vapor,  increased 
by  the  dousing  of  the  liquid,  rendered  the 
room  almost  unbearable. 

"You  and  Dinah  had  better  go  upstairs," 
said  the  captain  to  his  wife  ;  "  close  the  door 
after  you,  and,  by  and  by,  the  lower  floor  will 
clear ;  I  can  get  enough  fresh  air  at  the  little 
opening  in  the  door  and  by  the  windows  to 
answer  for  me ;  if  there  is  any  need  of  you, 
I  can  call,  but  perhaps  you  may  find  some- 
thing to  do  up  there  yourselves." 

The  wife  and  servant  obeyed,  each  taking 
her  gun  with  her,  together  with  enough  am- 
munition to  provide  for  fully  a  score  of  shots. 

The  cabin  which  Captain  Dohm  Shirril  had 
erected  on  his  ranch  in  upper  Texas  was  long 


40        THE  GEEAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

and  low,  as  we  have  already  intimated.  There 
was  but  the  single  apartment  on  the  first  floor, 
which  served  as  a  kitchen,  dining  and  sitting 
room,  and  parlor.  When  crowded  his  guests, 
to  the  number  of  a  dozen,  more  or  less,  could 
spread  their  blankets  on  the  floor,  and  sleep 
the  sleep  that  waits  on  rugged  health  and 
bounding  spirits. 

The  upper  story  was  divided  into  three 
apartments.  The  one  at  the  end  served  for 
the  bedroom  of  the  captain  and  his  wife  ;  the 
next  belonged  to  Dinah,  while  the  one  beyond, 
as  large  as  the  other  two,  was  appropriated  by 
Avon  and  such  of  the  cattlemen  as  found  it 
convenient  to  sleep  under  a  roof,  which  is 
often  less  desirable  to  the  Texan  than  the 
canopy  of  heaven. 

Few  of  these  dwellings  are  provided  with 
cellars,  and  there  was  nothing  of  the  kind 
attached  to  the  residence  of  Captain  Shirril. 
The  house  was  made  of  logs  and  heavy  tim- 
bers, the  slightly  sloping  roof  being  of 
heavy  roughly  hewn  planking.  Stone  was 
scarce  in  that  section,  but  enough  had  been 
gathered  to  form  a  serviceable  fireplace,  the 


UPSTAIRS  AND  DOWNSTAIRS.  41 

wooden  flue  of  which  ascended  to  the  roof 
from  within  the  building. 

This  brief  description  will  give  the  reader 
an  idea  of  the  character  of  the  structure,  in 
which  one  man  and  two  women  found  them- 
selves besieged  by  a  war  party  of  fierce 
Comanches. 

The  ceiling  of  the  lower  floor  was  so  low 
that,  had  the  captain  stood  erect  with  an 
ordinary  silk  hat  on  his  head,  it  would  have 
touched  it.  The  stairs  consisted  of  a  short, 
sloping  ladder,  over  which  a  trap-door  could 
be  shut,  so  as  to  prevent  anyone  entering  from 
below. 

Inasmuch  as  smoke  generally  climbs  up- 
ward, the  second  story  would  have  proven  a 
poor  refuge  had  the  women  waited  any  time 
before  resorting  to  it.  As  it  was,  considerable 
vapor  accompanied  them  up  the  rounds  of  the 
ladder,  but,  when  the  trap-door  was  closed 
after  them,  the  greater  purity  of  the  air 
afforded  both  relief. 

It  will  be  recalled  that  the  lower  story  was 
furnished  with  two  windows  at  the  front,  of 
such  strait  form  that  no  man  could  force  his 


42  THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

way  through  them.  The  upper  floor  was 
more  liberally  provided  in  this  respect,  each 
apartment  having  a  window  at  the  front  and 
rear,  though  the  foresight  of  Captain  Shirril 
made  these  as  narrow  as  those  below.  Indeed 
they  were  so  near  the  ground  that  otherwise 
they  would  have  formed  a  continual  invitation 
to  hostile  parties  to  enter  through  them. 

So  long  as  an  attacking  force  kept  off,  three 
defenders  like  those  now  within  the  house 
might  defy  double  the  number  of  assailants 
that  threatened  them.  No  implement  of 
warfare  at  the  command  of  the  red  men  was 
sufficient  to  batter  down  the  walls,  or  drive 
the  massive  door  from  its  hinges. 

But  the  real  source  of  danger  has  been 
indicated.  The  cabin  was  located  so  far  to- 
ward Western  Texas,  that  it  was  exposed  to 
raids  from  the  Comanches  and  Kioways,  while 
occasionally  a  band  of  Apaches  penetrated  the 
section  from  their  regular  hunting  grounds  in 
Arizona  or  New  Mexico. 

Although  the  red  men  might  find  it  impos- 
sible to  force  an  entrance,  yet  the  darkness 
allowed  them  to  manoeuvre  outside,  and  lay 


UPSTAIRS  AND  DOWNSTAIRS.  43 

their  plans  with  little  danger  of  molestation. 
The  roof  of  the  building  had  been  seasoned  by 
its  long  exposure  to  the  weather,  until  it  was 
as  dry  as  tinder.  This  was  increased,  if  pos- 
sible, by  the  drought  that  had  now  lasted  for 
months  in  that  portion  of  Texas.  A  slight 
fire  would  speedily  fan  itself  into  a  flame  that 
would  reduce  the  building  to  ashes. 

"  And  it  only  needs  to  be  started,"  thought 
Captain  Shirril,  when  he  found  himself  alone 
below  stairs,  "  and  it  will  do  the  work  ;  it  was 
very  thoughtful  in  Edna  to  dash  that  pailful 
of  water  on  the  smouldering  blanket,  and  it 
quenched  the  embers,  but,  all  the  same,  it 
required  the  last  drop  in  the  house." 

However,  there  was  nothing  to  be  feared  in 
the  nature  of  thirst.  The  defenders  could  go 
without  drink  easily  enough  for  twenty-four 
hours,  and  the  issue  of  this  serious  matter 
would  be  settled  one  way  or  other  long  before 
that  period  passed.  The  cowboys  would  not 
wait  long  after  sunrise  for  their  leader,  before 
setting  out  to  learn  the  cause  of  his  delay. 

The  question  of  life  and  death  must  be  an- 
swered before  the  rising  of  the  morrow's  sun. 


CHAPTER  VI. 
DINAH'S  DISCOVERY. 

WHEN  Captain  Shirril  told  his  wife  that 
she  and  the  servant  were  likely  to  find 
something  to  engage  their  attention  above 
stairs,  he  spoke  more  in  jest  than  earnest,  but 
the  remark  served  to  prove  the  adage  that 
many  a  truth  is  spoken  at  such  times. 

Of  course,  the  upper  part  of  the  house  was 
in  as  deep  gloom  as  the  lower  portion,  and  the 
women  took  good  care  in  passing  the  windows 
lest  some  stray  shot  should  reach  them. 
They  needed  no  light,  for  every  inch  of  space 
had  long  been  familiar. 

Mrs.  Shirril  walked  quietly  through  the 
larger  apartment,  without  coming  upon  any- 
thing to  attract  notice,  after  which  she  went 
to  her  own  room,  Dinah  accompanying  her  all 
the  way. 

"I  don't  see  that  there  is  any  need  of  our 

44 


DINAH'S  DISCOVERY.  45 

remaining  here,"  said  the  mistress,  "  for  there 
is  no  possible  way  of  any  of  the  Indians  effect- 
ing an  entrance." 

"'Ceptin'  frough  de  trap-door,"  ventured 
the  servant. 

"That  is  over  your  room,  but  the  scuttle 
is  fastened  as  securely  as  the  one  below 
stairs." 

"Dunno  'bout  dat ;  I's  gwine  to  see,"  was 
the  sturdy  response  of  Dinah,  as  she  walked 
rather  heavily  into  her  own  boudoir;  "any 
man  dat  comes  foolin'  'round  dar  is  gwine 
to  get  hisself  in  trouble." 

Knowing  precisely  where  the  opening  was 
located  (an  unusual  feature  of  the  houses  in 
that  section),  she  stopped  directly  under  it, 
and  reached  upward  with  one  of  her  power- 
ful hands.  The  roof  was  still  nearer  the  floor 
than  was  the  latter  to  the  floor  below,  so  that 
it  was  easy  for  her  to  place  her  fingers  against 
the  iron  hook  which  held  it  in  place, 

Of  course  she  found  the  scuttle  just  as  it 
had  been  for  many  a  day ;  and  Mrs.  Shirril 
was  right  in  saying  it  was  as  firmly  secured 
as  the  ponderous  door  beneath  them,  for  the 


46        THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

impossibility  of  getting  a  purchase  from  the 
roof,  made  only  a  slight  resistance  necessary 
from  beneath.  A  dozen  bolts  and  bars  could 
not  have  rendered  it  stronger. 

"It  'pears  to  be  all  right,"  mused  Dinah, 
"but  folks  can't  be  too  keerful  at  sich  times— 
sh!  whatdat?" 

Her  ears,  which  were  as  keen  as  those  of 
her  friends,  heard  a  suspicious  noise  over- 
head. It  was  faint,  but  unmistakable.  The 
startling  truth  could  not  be  doubted :  one  of 
the  Comanches,  if  not  more,  was  on  the  roof  ! 

"If  dat  isn't  shameful,"  she  muttered,  fail- 
ing to  apprise  her  mistress  of  the  alarming 
discovery;  "I  wander  what  he  can  be  after 
up  dar— de  Lor'  a  massy !  " 

The  last  shock  was  caused  by  a  scratching 
which  showed  that  the  intruder  was  trying  to 
lift  up  the  scuttle. 

Evidently  the  Indians  had  made  themselves 
as  familiar  with  Captain  Shirril's  domicile  as 
they  could  without  entering  it.  They  had 
noticed  the  scuttle,  and  the  possibility  that  it 
might  be  unfastened  led  one  of  them  to  climb 
undetected  to  the  roof  to  make  sure  about  it. 


DINAH'S  DISCOVERY.  47 

"  Bat  onmannerly  warmint  knows  dat  dat 
door  am  right  over  my  room,"  muttered  the 
indignant  Dinah  ;  uand  instead  ob  comin'  in 
by  de  reg'lar  way,  as  a  gemman  orter  do,  he's 
gwine  to  try  to  steal  in  frough  de  roof.  When 
I  get  done  wid  him,"  she  added,  with  rising 
wrath,  "  he'll  know  better  nor  dat." 

Still  Mrs.  Shirril  kept  her  place  in  her  own 
apartment,  where  she  was  striving  so  hard  to 
learn  something,  by  peering  through  and 
listening  at  one  of  her  windows,  that  she 
noticed  nothing  else,  though,  as  yet,  the  noise 
was  so  slight  that  it  would  have  escaped  the 
ears  of  Dinah  herself,  had  she  not  been  quite 
near  it. 

The  colored  woman  groped  around  in  the 
dark  until  her  hand  rested  upon  the  only 
chair  in  the  apartment.  This  she  noiselessly 
placed  under  the  scuttle,  and  stepped  upon  it 
with  the  same  extreme  care. 

Her  position  was  now  such  that  had  the 
door  been  open  and  she  standing  upright,  her 
head,  shoulders,  and  a  part  of  her  waist 
would  have  been  above  the  roof.  She  had 
leaned  her  gun  against  the  side  of  the  chair, 


48  THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

so  that,  if  needed,  it  was  within  quick  reach. 
Then  she  assumed  a  stooping  posture,  with 
her  head  gently  touching  the  underside  of  the 
door,  and,  steadying  herself  by  grasping  the 
iron  hook,  she  stood  motionless  and  listening. 

"  Yes,  Tie's  dar!"  was  her  instant  conclu- 
sion, "and  de  wiper  is  tryin'  to  onfasten  de 
skylight  ob  my  obpartment." 

Dinah's  many  years  spent  in  this  wild 
region  had  given  her  a  knowledge  that  she 
could  not  have  gained  otherwise.  She  knew 
that  so  long  as  the  Comanche  contented  him- 
self with  trying  to  open  the  scuttle,  nothing 
was  to  be  feared  ;  but,  baffled  in  that,  he  was 
not  likely  to  drop  to  the  ground  again  with- 
out attempting  more  serious  mischief,  and 
that  serious  mischief  could  take  only  the 
single  dreaded  form  of  setting  fire  to  the 
building. 

It  seems  almost  beyond  belief,  but  it  is  a 
fact  that  this  colored  woman  determined  on 
defeating  the  purpose  of  the  redskin,  by  the 
most  audacious  means  at  the  command  of 
anyone.  She  resolved  to  climb  out  on  the 
roof  and  assail  the  Comanche. 


DINAH'S  DISCOVERY.  49 

Since  she  knew  her  mistress  would  peremp- 
torily forbid  anything  of  the  kind,  she  cun- 
ningly took  all  the  means  at  her  command 
to  prevent  her  plan  becoming  known  to  Mrs. 
Shirril,  until  it  should  be  too  late  for  her  to 
interfere. 

Stepping  gently  down  to  the  floor,  she 
moved  the  few  steps  necessary  to  reach  the 
door  opening  into  the  other  room,  and  which 
had  not  been  closed. 

"Is  you  dar,  Mrs.  Shirril?"  she  asked  in 
a  whisper. 

"Yes,  Dinah,"  came  the  guarded  response; 
"  don't  bother  me  for  a  few  minutes  ;  I  want 
to  watch  and  listen." 

"All  right;  dat  suits  me,"  muttered  the 
servant  with  a  chuckle,  as  she  closed  the  door 
with  the  utmost  care. 

Everything  seemed  to  favor  the  astounding 
purpose  of  the  brave  African,  who  again 
stepped  upon  the  chair,  though  in  her  first 
confusion  she  narrowly  missed  overturning  it, 
and  brought  her  head  against  the  scuttle.  ' 

She  was  disappointed  at  first,  because  she 
heard  nothing,  but  a  moment's  listening  told 


50        THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

her  that  her  visitor  was  still  on  deck,  or  rather 
on  the  roof.  The  fact  that,  after  finding  he 
could  not  effect  an  entrance,  he  still  stayed, 
made  it  look  as  if  he  was  meditating  mischief 
of  the  very  nature  so  much  feared. 

In  accordance  with  her  daring  scheme, 
Dinah  now  softly  slipped  the  hook  from  its 
fastening,  holding  it  between  her  fingers  for 
a  moment  before  doing  anything  more.  Had 
the  Comanche  known  how  matters  stood,  a 
quick  upward  flirt  on  his  part,  even  though 
the  hold  was  slight,  would  have  flung  the 
door  flat  on  the  roof  and  opened  the  way  to 
the  interior  of  the  Texan's  cabin. 

But  not  knowing  nor  suspecting  anything 
of  the  kind,  he  did  not  make  the  attempt. 

With  no  more  tremor  of  the  nerve  than  she 
would  have  felt  in  trying  to  kill  a  fly,  Dinah 
softly  pushed  up  the  door  for  an  inch  at  its 
outermost  edge.  This  gave  her  a  view  of  the 
roof  on  the  side  in  front,  with  a  shortened 
survey  of  the  portion  still  nearer. 

Her  eyes  were  keen,  but  they  detected  noth- 
ing of  the  Comanche  who  was  prowling 
about  the  scuttle  only  a  few  moments  before. 


DINAH'S  DISCOVERY.  51 

The  darkness  was  not  dense  enough  to  pre- 
vent her  seeing  to  the  edge  of  the  roof  on  all 
sides,  had  her  view  been  unobstructed.  Could 
she  have  dared  to  throw  back  the  door,  and 
raise  her  head  above  the  peak  of  the  roof,  she 
could  have  traced  the  outlines  of  the  eaves  in 
every  direction. 

Bat  she  was  too  wise  to  try  anything  like 
that.  The  slightest  noise  on  her  part  would 
be  heard  by  the  Indian,  who,  like  all  mem- 
bers of  the  American  race,  had  his  senses 
trained  to  a  fineness  that  seems  marvellous  to 
the  Caucasian.  He  would  take  the  alarm  on 
the  instant,  and  leap  to  the  ground,  or,  what 
was  more  likely,  assail  her  with  his  knife, 
since  his  rifle  had  been  left  below. 

"  What's  become  ob  dat  villain?"  Dinah 
asked  herself,  after  peering  about  in  the 
gloom  for  a  full  minute;  "I  wonder  wheder 
he  hasn't  got  'shamed  ob  hisself,  and  hab 
slunk  off  and  is  gwine  down  to  knock  at  my 
door  and  ax  my  pardon — Lor'  a  massy  !  " 

There  was  good  cause  for  this  alarm  on  her 
part,  for  at  that  moment  she  made  a  discovery 
that  fairly  took  away  her  breath. 


CHAPTER  VII. 
DINAH'S  EXPLOIT. 

THE  revelation  that  broke  upon  the  senses 
of  the  colored  servant  did  not  reach  her 
through  her  power  of  vision.  She  still  saw 
nothing  but  the  all-encircling  night,  nor  did 
she  hear  anything  except  the  sighing  of  the 
wind  through  the  mesquite  bush,  or  the 
guarded  movements  of  the  red  men  below. 

It  was  her  power  of  smell  that  told  her 
an  appalling  fact.  She  detected  the  odor  of 
burning  wood ! 

The  Indian  whom  she  had  heard  prowling 
like  a  hungry  wolf  over  the  roof,  was  there 
for  a  more  sinister  purpose,  if  possible,  than 
that  of  gaining  entrance  through  the  scuttle 
into  the  building.  He  had  managed  to  climb 
undetected  to  his  perch  for  the  purpose  of 
setting  fire  to  the  building,  and  not  only  that, 
but  he  had  succeeded  in  his  design. 


DINAH'S  EXPLOIT.  63 

The  same  delicacy  of  scent  that  had  told 
the  woman  the  frightful  truth  enabled  her  to 
locate  the  direction  of  the  fire.  It  was  over 
the  peak  of  the  roof,  a  little  in  front  and  to 
the  left. 

Gazing  toward  the  point,  she  observed  a 
dim  glow  in  the  darkness,  such  as  might  have 
been  made  by  the  reflection  of  a  lucifer 
match.  It  was  the  illumination  produced 
by  the  twist  of  flame  the  Comanche  had 
kindled.  If  allowed  to  burn  for  a  few 
minutes,  the  wind  would  fan  it  into  an  inex- 
tinguishable blaze. 

How  she  managed  to  do  what  she  did  with- 
out discovery  she  never  could  have  explained 
herself.  But,  holding  the  lid  firmly  grasped 
with  one  hand,  she  lifted  it  up  until  it  stood 
perpendicular  on  its  noiseless  hinges. 

As  the  door  moved  over  to  this  position, 
her  head  and  shoulders  rose  through  the 
opening.  Had  her  movements  been  quick, 
instead  of  deliberate,  they  would  have  sug- 
gested the  action  of  the  familiar  Jack-in-the- 
box. 

This  straightening  of   her  stature  brought 


54        THE  GKEAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

her  head  several  inches  above  the  peak  or 
highest  portion  of  the  house,  and,  conse- 
quently, gave  her  a  view  of  the  entire  roof. 

And  looking  in  the  direction  whence  the 
odor  came,  and  where  she  had  caught  the  tiny 
illumination,  the  brave  colored  woman  saw  a 
sight  indeed. 

A  brawny  Indian  warrior  was  stooped  over 
and  nursing  a  small  flame  with  the  utmost 
care.  How  he  had  managed  the  difficult  busi- 
ness thus  far  without  detection  from  below, 
was  almost  beyond  explanation. 

But  it  followed,  from  what  has  been  told, 
that  he  had  climbed  upon  the  roof,  taking 
with  him  some  twigs  and  bits  of  wood,  with- 
out having  been  heard  by  Captain  Shirril, 
who  was  listening  intently  at  the  lower  door, 
and  who  heard  more  than  one  other  noise 
that  must  have  been  slighter  than  that  over- 
head. 

It  was  probable  that  the  warrior,  having 
made  his  preparations,  rode  his  horse  close  to 
the  further  corner  of  the  cabin,  where  he 
stopped  the  animal,  and  rose  to  the  upright 
position  on  his  back.  The  roof  was  so  low 


DINAH'S  EXPLOIT.  55 

that  it  could  be  easily  reached  in  this  way, 
and  he  was  so  far  removed  from  the  inmates 
that  his  action  escaped  notice,  his  presence 
being  finally  discovered  in  the  manner 
described. 

Finding  he  could  not  open  the  scuttle,  he 
had  crept  over  the  peak  of  the  roof,  stooped 
down,  and,  gathering  his  combustibles  with 
care,  set  fire  to  them.  In  doing  this,  he  must 
have  used  the  common  lucifer  match  of  civili- 
zation, since  no  other  means  would  have 
answered,  and  the  American  Indian  of  the 
border  is  as  quick  to  appropriate  the  conveni- 
ences as  he  is  to  adopt  the  vices  of  the  white 
man. 

Be  that  as  it  may,  he  had  succeeded  in 
starting  the  tiny  fire,  and,  at  the  moment 
the  wrathful  Dinah  caught  sight  of  him,  was 
placing  several  larger  sticks  upon  the  growing 
flame,  and,  bending  over,  was  striving  to 
help  the  natural  wind  by  blowing  upon  the 
blaze. 

The  picture  was  a  striking  one.  The  glow 
of  the  flame  showed  the  countenance  of  the 
Coinanche  plainly.  His  features  were  repel- 


66        THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

lent,  the  nose  being  Roman  in  form,  while  the 
cheek-bones  were  protuberant  and  the  chin 
retreating.  His  long  black  hair  dangled  about 
his  shoulders,  and  was  parted,  as  is  the  cus- 
tom among  his  people,  in  the  middle.  The 
face  was  rendered  more  repulsive  by  the 
stripes  and  splashes  of  yellow,  white,  and  red 
paint,  which  not  only  covered  it  from  the  top 
of  the  forehead  to  the  neck,  but  was  mixed  in 
the  coarse  hair,  a  portion  of  whose  ends  rested 
on  the  roof,  as  well  as  over  his  back. 

As  he  blew,  his  cheeks  expanded,  his  thin 
lips  took  the  form  of  the  letter  O,  fringed 
with  radiating  wrinkles  around  the  edges,  and 
the  black  eyes  seemed  to  glow  with  a  light 
like  that  of  the  fire  itself,  so  great  was  his 
earnestness  in  his  work. 

No  country  boy  accustomed  to  get  up  on 
cold  mornings  and  build  the  family  fires 
could  have  done  his  work  better.  He  saw 
that  while  the  sticks  which  were  burning,  and 
which  he  continued  to  feed  and  fan,  were 
rapidly  consuming  and  growing,  they  were 
eating  into  the  dry  roof  on  which  they  rested. 
They  had  already  burned  a  considerable 


DINAH'S  EXPLOIT.  57 

cavity,  which  gleamed  like  a  living  coal,  and 
it  would  not  take  long  before  a  hold  would  be 
secured  that  would  throw  the  whole  structure 
into  a  blaze. 

Dinah  stood  for  several  seconds  gazing  on 
the  picture,  as  though  she  doubted  the  evi- 
dence of  her  own  eyes.  It  seemed  impossible 
that  such  a  cruel  plot  should  have  progressed 
thus  far  without  being  thwarted.  But  the 
next  moment  her  chest  heaved  with  indigna- 
tion, as  she  reflected  that  the  red  man 
stretched  out  before  her  was  the  very  one 
that  had  tried  to  enter  her  apartment,  and 
being  frustrated  by  her  watchfulness  in  that 
design,  he  was  now  endeavoring  to  burn  them 
all  to  death. 

The  fact  that  the  Comanche  never  dreamed 
of  interruption  caused  him  to  withdraw  his 
attention  from  everything  except  the  business 
before  him,  and  he  continued  blowing  and 
feeding  the  growing  flames  with  all  the  care 
and  skill  at  his  command.  His  wicked  heart 
was  swelling  with  exultation  when — 

Suddenly  an  object  descended  upon  the 
flames  like  the  scuttle-door  itself,  which, 


68        THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

might  be  supposed  to  have  been  wrenched 
from  its  hinges  and  slammed  down  on  the 
fire,  quenching  it  as  utterly  and  completely  as 
if  it  were  submerged  in  a  mountain  torrent. 

That  was  the  foot  of  Dinah. 

Next,  as  the  dumfounded  warrior  attempted 
to  leap  to  his  feet,  something  fastened  itself 
like  the  claw  of  a  panther  in  his  long  hair, 
with  a  grip  that  not  only  could  not  be  shaken 
off,  but  which  threatened  to  create  a  general 
loosening  at  the  roots. 

That  was  the  left  hand  of  Dinah. 

At  the  same  moment,  when  the  dazed  Co- 
manche  had  half  risen  and  was  striving  to  get 
the  hang  of  things,  a  vice  closed  immovably 
about  his  left  ankle,  and  his  moccasin  was 
raised  almost  as  high  as  his  shoulder. 

The  agency  in  this  business  was  the  rigid 
hand  of  Dinah  ;  and  instantly  she  got  in  her 
work  with  the  vigor  of  a  hurricane.  She  pos- 
sessed unusual  power  and  activity,  though 
it  must  not  be  supposed  that  the  Comanche 
would  not  have  given  a  good  account  of  him- 
self had  he  but  possessed  a  second's  warning 
of  what  was  coming.  He  had  a  knife  at  his 


DINAH'S  EXPLOIT.  59 

girdle,  though  his  rifle,  as  has  been  said,  was 
left  behind  with  his  companions,  since  his 
business  did  not  make  it  likely  that  he  would 
need  anything  of  the  kind,  and  it  was  an 
inconvenience  to  keep  it  by  him. 

"You  onmannerly  willian!  I'll  teach  you 
how  to  try  to  sneak  frough  de  roof  into  my 
room ! "  muttered  Dinah,  who  was  now 
thoroughly  aroused,  "  yer  orter  have  your 
neck  wringed  off  and  Til  do  it!r 

The  Comanche  was  at  vast  disadvantage 
in  being  seized  with  such  a  fierce  grip  by 
the  hair,  which  kept  his  face  turned  away 
from  his  assailant,  while  the  vicelike  grasp 
of  his  ankle  compelled  him  to  hop  about  on 
one  foot,  in  a  style  that  was  as  awkward  as 
it  was  undignified.  He  realized,  too,  that 
despite  all  he  could  do  to  prevent  it,  his  foe 
was  forcing  him  remorselessly  toward  the 
edge  of  the  roof. 

But  the  warrior  was  sinewy  and  strong. 
He  had  been  engaged  in  many  a  desperate 
hand-to-hand  encounter,  though  never  in 
anything  resembling  this.  Finding  the  grip 
on  his  hair  and  ankle  could  not  be  shaken 


60        THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

off,  he  snatched  out  his  keen-pointed  knife 
with  the  intention  of  striking  one  of  his 
vicious  back-handed  blows,  which  had 
proved  fatal  more  than  once,  but  just  then 
the  eaves  were  reached  and  over  he  went! 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

IN  THE  MESQUITE  BUSH. 

WE  must  not  forget  our  young  friend, 
Avon  Burnet,  who  volunteered  so 
willingly  to  run  every  risk  for  the  sake  of 
helping  his  relatives  out  of  the  most  imminent 
peril  of  their  lives. 

At  the  moment  he  saw  Captain  Shirril 
start  forward  to  smother  the  fire,  by  throw- 
ing one  of  his  heavy  blankets  over  it,  he 
lifted  the  heavy  bolt  from  its  place,  and 
leaned  it  against  the  wall  at  the  side  of  the 
door.  Having  decided  on  the  step,  he  was 
wise  in  not  permitting  a  minute's  unneces- 
sary delay. 

He  stepped  outside  in  the  manner  hinted, 
drawing  the  door  gently  to  after  him.  He 
did  not  do  this  until  he  saw  that  the  interior 
was  veiled  in  impenetrable  gloom. 

He   felt    that   everything    now   depended 

61 


62  THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

upon  his  being  prompt,  unfaltering,  and  yet 
not  rash.  It  may  be  said  that  the  whole 
problem  was  to  learn  the  right  step  to  take, 
and  then  to  take  it,  not  an  instant  too  soon 
nor  too  late.  That,  however,  sums  up  the 
task  of  life  itself,  and  the  knowledge  was 
no  more  attainable  in  one  instance  than  in 
the  other. 

Finding  himself  in  the  outer  air,  Avon  stood 
a  few  seconds,  striving,  as  may  be  said,  to  get 
his  bearings.  He  heard  the  trampling  of 
horses'  hoofs,  several  guarded  signals  passing 
between  the  Indians,  and  was  quite  sure  he 
saw  the  shadowy  outlines  of  a  warrior  mov- 
ing within,  a  few  paces  of  him. 

While  all  this  was  not  calculated  to  add  to 
his  comfort  of  body  and  mind,  it  was  pleasing 
to  the  extent  that  it  proved  his  presence  on 
the  outside  was  as  yet  neither  known  nor 
suspected.  As  my  friend  Coomer  would  say, 
he  was  standing  "  With  the  World  Before 
Him." 

But  he  dare  not  think  he  was  so  much  as 
on  the  edge  of  safety  until  he  reached  the 
mesquite  bush,  whose  location  he  knew  so 


IN  THE  MESQUITE  BUSH.  63 

well,  and  whose  dark  outlines  were  dimly 
discernible  in  front,  and  at  the  distance  of 
only  a  few  rods. 

The  youth  was  thinking  rapidly  and  hard. 
It  seemed  to  him  that  the  Comanches  would 
naturally  keep  the  closest  watch  of  the  front 
of  the  cabin,  and,  therefore,  he  was  less  liable  to 
discovery  if  he  made  a  dash  from  another  point. 

This  conclusion  was  confirmed  by  the  sad- 
den taking  shape  of  not  only  the  figure  of 
a  horseman,  but  of  a  warrior  on  foot,  who 
approached  at  right  angles,  the  two  halting 
in  such  a  manner  just  before  him  that  he 
know  it  was  but  momentary,  and  that  they 
would  come  still  nearer  in  a  very  brief  while. 

So  long  as  he  stood  erect,  with  his  back 
against  the  side  of  the  dwelling,  he  was  in- 
visible to  anyone  who  was  not  almost  upon 
him.  Retaining  this  posture,  and  with  the 
rear  of  his  clothing  brushing  against  the  build- 
ing, he  glided  softly  to  the  right  until  he 
reached  the  corner. 

At  the  moment  he  arrived  there,  he  saw 
that  the  horseman  had  slipped  from  his  mus- 
tang, and  he  and  the  other  warrior  approached 


64        THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

close  to  the  door,  where,  as  it  will  be  remem- 
bered, Captain  Shirril  heard  them  talking 
together  in  low  tones. 

This  was  altogether  too  near  for  comfort, 
and  Avon,  with  the  same  noiseless  movement, 
slipped  beyond  the  corner  of  the  house. 

As  he  did  so,  he  felt  for  an  instant  that  all 
was  over.  An  Indian  brushed  so  near  that 
the  youth  could  have  touched  him  by  extend- 
ing his  hand. 

How  he  escaped  discovery  was  more  than  he 
could  understand.  It  must  have  been  that 
the  warrior's  attention  was  so  fixed  upon  the 
two  figures  at  the  front  of  the  house  that  he 
did  not  glance  to  the  right  or  left.  Even  such 
an  explanation  hardly  makes  clear  the  over- 
sight on  the  part  of  one  belonging  to  a  race 
proverbial  for  its  alertness  and  keen  vision. 

Before  the  young  man  recovered  from  his 
shock,  he  was  astounded  by  another  occur- 
rence a  hundred-fold  more  inexplicable.  The 
profound  stillness  was  suddenly  broken  by 
the  ringing  report  of  a  rifle  on  the  other  side 
of  the  building,  accompanied  by  the  wild  cry 
which  caused  the  listening  Captain  Shirril  and 


IN  THE  MESQUITE  BUSH.  65 

his  wife  to  believe  it  meant  the  death  of  their 
devoted  nephew. 

While  the  captain  committed  a  grave  mis- 
take, for  which  he  was  excusable,  Avon  was 
equally  at  fault,  and  with  as  good  if  not  a  bet- 
ter reason.  Not  dreaming  it  possible  that  he 
could  have  a  friend  near  the  cabin  and  on  the 
outside,  he  supposed  the  shot  was  fired  by  the 
captain  to  create  a  diversion  in  his  favor. 

While  such,  as  the  reader  knows,  was  not 
the  case,  yet  it  served  that  commendable 
purpose. 

The  death-shriek  of  the  stricken  Comanche 
was  still  in  the  air,  when,  assuming  a  crouch- 
ing posture,  the  youth  made  a  dash  for  cover. 
He  expected  every  moment  that  other  rifles 
would  be  fired  and  he  would  be  headed  off. 
He  could  hardly  understand  it,  therefore, 
when  he  felt  the  bushes  strike  his  face,  and  he 
knew  that  he  was  among  the  mesquite,  without 
suffering  harm. 

He  would  have  continued  his  flight,  had  not 

the  sounds  in  front  shown  that  while  he  had 

been  wonderfully  fortunate  up  to  this  point, 

he  had  run  almost  into  a  group  of  his  enemies. 

5 


66        THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

The  dense  shadows  of  the  bushes  prevented 
him  from  seeing  them,  else  they  assuredly 
would  have  observed  him,  but,  determined  to 
go  forward  now  at  all  hazards,  and  eager  to 
seize  the  flimsiest  thread  of  hope,  he  sank 
down  on  his  hands  and  knees,  anxious  to  con- 
tinue his  flight,  but  waiting  to  learn  in  what 
direction  it  should  be  made,  if  indeed  it  could 
be  made  at  all. 

There  was  one  hope  which  he  felt  he  must 
give  up.  The  possibility  of  finding  Thunder- 
bolt, and  using  the  matchless  steed  in  his 
flight  to  the  camp  of  the  cowboys,  had  oc- 
curred to  him  more  than  once,  though  it 
would  seem  that  it  was  altogether  too  much 
to  look  for  any  such  good  fortune  as  that. 

"If  I  can  only  get  clear  of  the  parties,  who 
seem  to  be  everywhere,"  was  his  thought, 
"  I  will  run  all  the  way  to  camp  and  bring  the 
boys  back  in  a  twinkling." 

He  could  have  drawn  Thunderbolt  to  him 
by  a  single  emission  of  the  well-known  signal, 
but  such  an  attempt  would  have  been  the 
acme  of  folly.  The  Comanches  would  arrive 
before  the  mustang,  even  if  he  was  not 


IN  THE  MESQUITE  BUSH.  67 

already  in  their  possession,  and  the  act  would 
secure  the  capture  of  rider  and  steed  beyond 
peradventure. 

"  Can  it  be  that  my  flight  is  unsuspected  ?  " 
he  asked  himself,  while  he  crouched  on  the 
ground,  uncertain  which  way  to  move,  and 
yet  feeling  that  something  of  the  kind  must 
be  done. 

It  was  useless  to  speculate,  and,  since  his 
foes  appeared  to  be  directly  in  his  front,  he 
turned  to  the  right,  and  began  gliding  slowly 
forward,  fearful  that  the  beating  of  his  heart 
would  betray  him  at  every  inch. 

But  the  marvellous  good  fortune  which  had 
attended  him  thus  far  was  not  quite  ready  to 
desert  him.  With  a  care  and  caution  beyond 
description,  he  advanced  foot  by  foot  until  he 
drew  a  deep  sigh  of  relief  at  the  knowledge 
that  that  particular  group  of  red  men  was  no 
longer  in  front,  but  to  the  left  and  somewhat 
to  the  rear. 

"If  there  are  no  more,"  he  thought,  "it 
begins  to  look  as  if  I  might  succeed  after  all." 

But  his  rejoicing  was  premature.  Not  only 
did  he  catch  the  sound  of  a  horse's  hoofs,  but 


68  THE  GREAT   CATTLE   TRAIL. 

they  were  directly  before  him,  and  coming  as 
straight  for  the  spot  where  he  was  crouching 
as  if  the  animal  were  following  a  mathemati- 
cal line. 

One  of  the  Comanches  was  riding  through 
the  mesquite  bush,  and  if  the  youth  stayed 
were  he  was  he  must  be  trampled  by  the 
mustang,  unless  the  animal  was  frightened 
into  leaping  aside  and  thus  betraying  him  to 
his  master. 

"Very  well,"  muttered  Avon,  "if  it  comes 
to  that,  I  know  how  to  manage  you." 

As  the  thought  passed  through  his  mind,  he 
reached  to  his  holster  and  drew  his  revolver. 

At  this  moment  the  steed  halted,  though 
he  gave  no  sniff  or  sign  that  he  had  learned 
of  the  stranger  so  close  in  front.  Believing 
a  collision  inevitable,  Avon  straightened  up, 
with  his  weapon  firmly  grasped. 

But  before  he  could  use  it  the  rider  slipped 
to  the  ground,  and  the  next  moment  drew 
a  match  along  the  side  of  his  leggings.  As 
the  tiny  flame  shone  out  in  the  gloom,  he 
held  it  up  in  front  of  his  face  to  light  the 
cigarette  between  his  lips. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

AT  FAULT. 

AS  a  rule  the  American  Indian  is  not  par- 
-£JL  tial  to  cigarette  smoking,  that  being  a 
vice  that  he  is  willing  to  leave  to  his  more 
civilized  brother ;  but  the  Comanche  in  front 
of  Avon  Burnet,  and  so  near  him,  left  no 
doubt  of  his  purpose. 

As  the  tiny  flame  burned  more  brightly, 
he  shaded  it  with  his  hands  and  puffed  the 
twisted  roll  of  tobacco,  like  one  who  knew 
how  liable  the  blaze  was  to  be  blown  out 
by  the  wind  that  rustled  among  the  mesquite 
bushes.  He  was  such  an  expert  at  the 
business,  however,  that  he  met  with  no 
difficulty. 

The  glow  of  the  flame  shone  between  the 
fingers,  where  they  slightly  touched  each 
other,  giving  them  a  crimson  hue,  while 
the  point  of  the  nose,  the  eyes,  and  the 

69 


70        THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

front  of  the  face  were  revealed  almost  as 
distinctly  as  was  the  countenance  of  the 
warrior  whom  Dinah  discovered  in  the  act 
of  firing  the  roof  of  the  cabin. 

This  Coinanche  was  more  ill-favored  than 
the  other  and  was  in  middle  life.  There 
was  something  in  his  appearance  which 
gave  the  youth  the  suspicion  that  he  was 
the  chief  or  leader  of  the  band  of  raiders, 
though  there  could  be  no  certainty  on  that 
point. 

Nothing  would  have  been  easier  than  for 
Avon,  from  where  he  stood,  to  shoot  down 
the  savage  and  appropriate  his  horse  for 
himself.  There  was  an  instant  when  he 
meditated  such  a  step,  but  though  many  a 
veteran  of  the  frontier  would  have  seized 
the  chance  with  eagerness,  he  shrank  from 
such  a  deliberate  taking  of  human  life. 

The  youth  had  already  shown  his  pluck  and 
readiness  to  use  his  weapon  when  necessary, 
but  he  could  not  justify  himself  in  an  act  like 
the  one  named. 

But  he  did  not  mean  to  stand  idle  when 
there  was  a  call  for  instant  and  decisive  action. 


AT   FAULT.  71 

While  the  Comanche  used  his  two  hands 
in  manipulating  his  match  and  cigarette,  his 
rifle  leaned  against  the  limbs  of  one  of  the 
largest  mesquite  bushes,  where  he  could  snatch 
it  up  without  stirring  a  foot. 

It  was  not  to  be  supposed  that  he  had  dis- 
mounted for  the  purpose  of  kindling  his 
cigarette,  for  he  could  have  done  that  on  the 
back  of  his  mustang,  as  well  as  when  on  the 
ground.  He  must  have  decided  that  he  was 
nigh  enough  to  the  other  warriors  to  light  his 
tobacco  before  joining  them  on  foot. 

The  youth  was  sure  the  steed  before  him 
was  a  fine  one,  for  it  is  rare  to  see  one  of  those 
people  without  an  excellent  horse,  and  he 
resolved  to  capture  it. 

At  the  instant  the  match  was  at  its  best, 
and  the  point  of  the  cigarette  was  glowing  red, 
Avon  stepped  toward  the  motionless  steed, 
passing  along  the  side  which  was  furthest 
from  his  master.  The  beast  saw  him  on  the 
instant,  and  gave  a  slight  whinny  and 
recoiled. 

His  master  spoke  sharply,  while  the  ciga- 
rette was  between  his  teeth.  Not  suspecting 


72  THE  GKEAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

the  cause  of  his  alarm,  he  supposed  it  was 
trifling  and  gave  it  no  attention.  But  when 
his  animal,  with  a  loud  snort,  wheeled  and 
started  off  on  a  gallop,  the  Indian  threw  down 
his  match,  called  out  angrily,  and,  grasping 
his  gun,  sprang  forward  to  intercept  him. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  the  darkness  was 
more  dense  in  the  mesquite  bush  than  on  the 
open  prairie,  and,  although  he  caught  a 
glimpse  of  the  vanishing  mustang,  he  saw 
nothing  of  the  figure  on  his  back,  for  the 
reason  that,  when  the  nimble  youth  vaulted 
thither,  he  threw  himself  forward  on  his  neck. 

The  Indian  must  have  been  astonished  by 
the  action  of  his  animal,  but  he  probably 
concluded  he  would  not  wander  far,  and 
would  be  within  reach  in  the  morning  when 
needed.  So  he  refrained  from  attempting 
anything  like  pursuit,  which  would  have  been 
foolish  under  the  circumstances. 

It  was  a  clever  exploit  on  the  part  of  Avon 
Burnet,  and  he  could  not  repress  a  feeling 
of  exultation  over  the  success.  Boldness, 
dash,  and  peculiarly  favoring  circumstances 
had  taken  him  through  the  Comanche  lines, 


AT  FAULT.  73 

when  a  repetition  of  the  attempt  would  fail 
ninety-nine  times  out  of  a  hundred. 

But  while  he  was  justified  in  being  grate- 
ful, there  was  enough  serious  business  still 
before  him.  He  could  not  forget  that  the 
friends  in  the  cabin  were  in  dire  peril  and 
no  time  ought  to  be  wasted  in  bringing 
them  relief. 

The  first  indispensable  act  was  to  locate 
himself,  so  as  to  gain  an  idea  of  the  points 
of  the  compass,  without  which  it  was  beyond 
his  power  to  reach  the  camp  of  his  friends. 

A  brief  walk  brought  the  horse  out  of  the 
bush  and  he  stood  on  the  open  prairie.  The 
mustang  was  without  saddle  or  bridle,  except 
a  single  buffalo  thong,  that  was  twisted  over 
his  nose  and  by  which  his  master  guided  him. 
Avon  had  ridden  the  animals  in  the  same  way, 
and  since  this  mustang  became  tractable  the 
instant  he  felt  anyone  on  his  back,  such  an 
equestrian  as  the  young  Texan  met  with  no 
difficulty  whatever. 

But  he  realized  that  a  serious  difficulty 
confronted  him  when  he  attempted  to  locate 
himself.  The  flurry  in  the  bush  had  so  mixed 


74        THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

up  his  ideas  of  direction,  that  he  was  all  at 
sea. 

Not  a  star  twinkled  in  the  cloudy  sky,  nor 
could  he  tell  in  what  quarter  of  the  heavens 
the  moon  was  hidden.  Looking  in  the  sup- 
posed direction  of  the  cabin,  he  saw  only 
gloom,  while  it  was  equally  dark  when  he 
gazed  toward  the  spot  where  he  believed  the 
camp  of  the  cowboys  lay. 

Between  the  home  of  Captain  Shirril  and 
the  spot  where  his  men  awaited  his  coming 
were  several  elevations  and  depressions  of 
land,  so  that  had  the  Texans  been  burning  a 
.fire,  as  was  likely,  it  would  not  show  until 
more  than  half  the  intervening  distance  was 
passed.  The  cattle  were  herded  to  the  north- 
ward, so  that  in  the  event  of  a  stampede  it 
was  easier  to  head  them  on  the  right  course 
over  the  Great  Cattle  Trail. 

A  person  placed  in  the  situation  of  young 
Burnet  is  apt  to  go  astray,  no  matter  how 
extended  his  experience  in  wandering 
abroad  at  night,  unless  he  is  able  to  start 
right.  This  was  the  difficulty  with  Avon, 
who  was  too  wise  to  depend  upon  what 


AT  FAULT.  75 

impressions  took  possession  of  him,  since  it 
is  almost  the  invariable  rule  that  such  impres- 
sions are  wrong. 

There  was  one  faint  hope :  the  Comanches 
in  the  vicinity  of  the  cabin  had  been  indulg- 
ing in  shouting  and  firing  their  guns.  These 
sounds  would  prove  of  great  help,  but  to  his 
dismay,  though  he  sat  for  several  minutes 
motionless  on  his  mustang  and  listening,  he 
heard  nothing  of  the  kind. 

He  knew  the  wind  was  unfavorable,  but  he 
was  compelled  to  believe  that  he  had  ridden 
much  further  than  he  first  supposed,  in  order 
to  be  beyond  reach  of  the  reports.  After 
mounting  his  mustang,  he  had  sent  him 
scurrying  on  a  dead  run  through  the  bush, 
and  kept  it  up  for  several  minutes,  before 
emerging  into  the  open  country :  that  was 
sufficient  to  take  him  a  long  way  and,  as  he 
believed,  excluded  the  one  means  of  guidance 
which  otherwise  would  have  been  his 

"Helloa !  what  does  that  mean  ?  " 

In  peering  around  in  the  gloom,  he  saw, 
apparently  a  long  way  off  to  the  left,  a  star- 
like  point  on  the  prairie,  which  shone  out 


76       THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

with  an  increasing  gleam.  Wondering  what 
it  could  signify,  he  sat  for  a  minute  or  two. 
attentively  watching  it,  but  unable  to  solve 
the  interesting  question. 

"  These  Comanches  are  as  fond  of  smoking  as 
are  our  men,  and  I  suppose  one  of  them  has 
some  trouble  in  lighting  his  pipe  or  cigarette 
— helloa  !  there  it  goes  ! " 

The  light  which  was  so  interesting  to  him 
suddenly  went  out,  and  all  was  blank  dark- 
ness again. 

He  waited  and  looked  for  several  minutes, 
but  it  did  not  reappear.  At  the  moment  it 
vanished,  he  fancied  he  heard  a  slight  sound, 
but  it  was  too  indefinite  to  identify. 

Had  the  young  man  but  known  that  the 
light  which  he  had  seen  was  burning  on  the 
roof  of  his  own  home,  and  that  it  was  Dinah 
who  extinguished  it  so  abruptly,  he  would 
have  shaped  his  course  far  differently. 


CHAPTER  X. 

A    SURPRISE. 

A  YON"  BURNET  waited  several  minutes 
-LJL  after  the  light  went  out,  in  the  hope  that 
it  would  reappear  and  give  him  an  indication 
of  its  nature  and  cause  ;  but  darkness  con- 
tinued, and  he  concluded  that  his  first  sus- 
picion was  right :  some  warrior  in  riding  over 
the  prairie  had  halted  to  light  his  cigar  or 
pipe,  and  then  ridden  on  to  join  his  comrades 
near  the  cabin. 

The  youth  was  in  the  situation  of  the 
mariner  who  finds  himself  adrift  in  mid-ocean, 
without  compass  or  rudder.  Neither  the  sky 
nor  the  ground  gave  him  any  help,  and  in 
order  to  reach  the  camp  of  his  friends  he 
must,  under  Heaven,  rely  upon  his  own 
skill. 

"There's  one  thing  certain,"  he  concluded, 
"  I  shall  never  get  there  without  making  a 

77 


78        THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

break.  I  have  secured  a  pretty  good  horse, 
and  I  may  as  well  turn  him  to  account." 

Heading  in  the  direction  which  seemed 
right,  he  tapped  the  ribs  of  the  mustang  with 
his  heels,  and  he  broke  at  once  into  a  sweep- 
ing gallop,  which,  if  rightly  directed,  was 
sure  to  carry  him  to  his  destination  in  a 
brief  while. 

Though  it  was  too  much  for  the  young  man 
to  believe  he  was  following  the  true  course,  he 
thought  it  was  near  enough  for  him  to  dis- 
cover the  variation  before  riding  far.  He 
ought  to  reach  the  crest  of  some  elevation 
which  would  so  extend  his  view  that  he  would 
catch  the  gleam  of  the  camp  fire  of  the  cattle- 
men. 

As  the  pony  galloped  forward  with  that 
swinging  gait  which  he  was  able  to  maintain 
for  hours  without  fatigue,  the  rider  glanced  to 
the  right  and  left,  in  front  and  rear,  on  guard 
lest  he  ran  into  unexpected  danger,  and 
guarding  against  the  approach  of  one  or  more 
of  his  foes.  His  horse  was  tractable,  but  the 
rider  was  disturbed  now  and  then  by  his 
actions. 


A   SURPRISE.  79 

While  going  with  his  swift  gait,  he  occa- 
sionally checked  his  speed  so  abruptly  that, 
had  the  young  Texan  been  a  less  skilful 
equestrian,  he  would  have  pitched  over  his 
head.  At  such  times  he  pricked  his  ears, 
and  snuffed  and  threw  up  his  head,  as  though 
frightened  at  something.  But  strive  all  he 
could,  Avon  failed  to  discover  the  cause  of 
this  peculiar  behavior.  He  could  neither 
hear  nor  see  anything  to  explain  it. 

Our  young  friend  was  so  keenly  on  the 
alert  that  he  was  quick  to  notice  that  they 
were  ascending  quite  a  swell  in  the  plain. 
He  drew  the  mustang  down  to  a  walk,  and 
when  at  the  highest  point  of  the  elevation, 
brought  him  to  a  stand-still. 

No  poor  sailor,  floating  on  a  plank,  ever 
strove  harder  to  pierce  the  gloom  in  quest  of 
a  friendly  light,  than  did  Avon.  His  first 
glance  in  the  direction  which  seemed  to  him 
to  be  right  failed  to  show  that  which  he 
longed  to  see.  Then  he  slowly  swept  the 
horizon  with  the  same  searching  scrutiny. 

Not  the  first  star-like  glimmer  rewarded 
him.  Blank  darkness  enclosed  him  on  every 


80        THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

hand.  It  was  right  above,  below,  to  the  right 
and  left  and  to  the  front  and  rear. 

"Well,  I'll  be  shot  if  this  doesn't  beat 
everything!"  was  his  exclamation,  when  he 
came  to  understand  his  helplessness ;  "it 
looks  as  if  I  would  have  done  the  folks  a  great 
deal  more  good  if  I  had  stayed  with  them." 

Slipping  down  from  the  back  of  his  mus- 
tang, which  he  took  care  to  hold  by  means  of 
the  halter,  Avon  pressed  his  ear  to  the  earth, 
as  is  the  practice  of  those  in  a  similar 
situation. 

At  first  he  thought  he  detected  the  sounds 
of  hoofs,  but  the  next  moment  he  knew  it  was 
only  fancy.  The  better  conductor  in  the  form 
of  the  ground  told  him  no  more  than  did  the 
gloom  that  surrounded  him. 

While  thus  engaged,  the  mustang  tugged  at 
the  rope,  as  if  wishing  to  free  himself.  He 
must  have  felt  that  he  was  controlled  by  a 
strange  hand,  but  his  efforts  were  easily 
restrained. 

As  nearly  as  Avon  could  judge,  he  had 
travelled  more  than  two  miles  since  leaving 
the  cabin,  so  that,  provided  he  had  followed 


A   SURPRISE.  81 

the  proper  course,  he  must  have  passed  half 
the  distance.  But  if  that  were  the  case,  he 
ought  to  see  signs  of  the  camp.  It  is  the  cus- 
tom of  the  cattlemen,  when  on  the  move,  to 
keep  a  lantern  suspended  from  the  front  of 
the  provision  wagon,  to  serve  as  a  guide  for 
the  rest,  and  this  ought  to  be  visible  for 
several  miles  to  one  in  his  elevated  position. 

Holding  the  thong  in  one  hand,  the  youth 
now  pointed  his  Winchester  toward  the  sky 
and  discharged  several  barrels,  in  the  hope 
that  the  reports  would  reach  the  ears  of  the 
Texans  and  bring  a  response  from  them.  The 
mustang  did  not  stir  a  muscle ;  he  was  so 
accustomed  to  that  sort  of  thing  that  his 
nerves  were  not  disturbed. 

This  appeal  was  equally  futile,  and,  as  Avon 
flung  himself  again  upon  the  back  of  his 
horse,  a  feeling  akin  to  despair  came  over 
him. 

"  Perhaps  it  was  quite  an  exploit  to  get 
through  the  Comanche  lines  without  harm," 
he  said  to  himself,  "but  of  what  avail?  I 
shall  wander  round  and  round  until  daylight, 
with  no  more  knowledge  of  where  I  am  than 


82        THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

if  I  were  groping  among  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains ;  and,  long  before  the  rise  of  sun,  the 
fate  of  Uncle  Dohm  and  the  folks  will  be 
settled." 

A  feeling  of  exasperation  succeeded  his 
depression  of  spirits.  It  was  beyond  endur- 
ance that  he  should  be  so  near  help  and  yet  be 
unable  to  secure  it.  If  he  could  but  gain  an 
inkling  of  the  right  course,  he  would  dart 
across  the  prairie  with  the  speed  of  an  arrow. 

He  had  neglected  no  possible  means  of  in- 
forming himself.  Recalling  the  direction  of 
the  wind,  he  strove  to  make  use  of  that ;  but 
as  if  even  the  elements  had  united  against  him, 
he  was  not  long  in  discovering  that  the  wind 
was  fitful  and  changing,  and  his  attempt  to 
use  it  as  a  guide  had  much  to  do  with  his 
going  so  far  astray. 

The  rifle  was  discharged  again,  but  the 
listening  ear  caught  no  response,  and  the  con- 
viction forced  itself  upon  him  that,  instead  of 
journeying  toward  the  camp,  he  was  really 
further  from  it  than  when  he  started. 

The  mustang  began  to  grow  restless  once 
more.  Avon  spoke  sharply,  and  started  him 


A   SURPRISE.  83 

off  without  any  attempt  to  guide  him.  To  his 
surprise,  the  steed  turned  to  the  left  almost  at 
right  angles,  and  without  any  urging  on  his 
part,  broke  into  a  canter. 

"  I  don't  understand  that,"  said  the  rider; 
"he  certainly  knows  more  than  I  do,  but  it  is 
too  much  to  expect  him  to  carry  me  to  my 
destination  without  any  direction  from  me. 
But  he  is  as  likely  to  be  right  as  wrong,  and 
so  Fll  let  him  do  as  he  chooses.  You're  a 
mighty  fine  animal,"  continued  the  youth, 
as  the  steed  broke  into  a  gallop,  "but  I 
wouldn't  give  Thunderbolt  for  a  hundred 
like  you ;  he  knows  something,  and  when 
I'm  caught  in  a  fix  like  this,  he  is  sure  to 
help  me  out." 

The  youth  feared  that  the  mustang  was 
trying  to  return  to  his  master.  He,  therefore, 
brought  him  down  to  a  walk,  though  he  broke 
into  a  canter  more  than  once,  and  leaning  for- 
ward, peered  through  the  gloom,  on  the  alert 
for  the  first  sign  of  danger. 

"  Uncle  Dohm  believed  the  Comanches 
meant  to  set  fire  to  the  house;  if  he  hadn't 
thought  so,  I  wouldn't  have  been  in  this 


84        THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

plight ;  it  strikes  me  that  it  is  about  time  they 
made  a  start ;  if  they  do  so,  I  will  take  a 
hand  in  that  little  game." 

At  the  first  glow  anywhere  in  the  sky,  tell- 
ing of  the  use  of  the  torch,  Avon  would  have 
driven  his  mustang  thither  like  the  whirl- 
wind, and  it  is  safe  to  believe  that  his  Win- 
chester would  have  done  more  effective 
service  than  ever  before.  But  the  bright  eyes 
which  continually  scanned  every  portion  of 
the  murky  heavens  caught  no  glimmer  of  a 
single  star. 

The  mustang  gave  a  slight  whinny  and 
rose  to  a  canter  again,  but  was  roughly 
checked  by  his  new  master. 

"What  the  mischief  is  the  matter  with 
you?" 

Just  then,  something  took  shape  in  the 
gloom  ahead.  Avon  stopped  his  steed  and 
leaned  forward.  Yes ;  it  was  unmistakable. 

There  it  stood — a  long,  low  cabin,  whose 
familiar  contour  told  the  alarming  fact  that 
he  had  come  back  to  his  starting-point,  and 
was  among  the  Comanches  in  front  of  his  own 
home ! 


CHAPTER  XL 

CHANGING  PLACES. 

fTlHE  triumph  of  the  colored  servant  Dinah 
J-  over  the  Comanche  incendiary  may  be 
described  as  overwhelming  in  its  way. 

The  redskin  was  caught  at  so  great  dis- 
advantage, that  he  was  hurled  from  the  roof 
before  he  could  check  himself  or  make  use  of 
the  knife  he  had  snatched  from  his  girdle. 
Indeed,  it  was  at  the  instant  of  striking  his 
vicious  blow  that  he  went  over  the  eaves. 
This  preserved  his  awkwardness  of  posture, 
and  prevented  his  making  any  preparation 
for  the  violent  fall. 

The  miscreant  would  have  struck  the  ground 
with  a  udull  thud,"  but  for  an  unexpected 
buffer  in  the  shape  of  one  of  his  brother  war- 
riors, who  happened  to  be  standing  directly 
under.  As  a  consequence,  the  sprawling 
figure  came  down  on  the  head  and  shoulders 
of  the  astounded  Comanche,  who  collapsed 

85 


86        THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

with  a  feeling  that  must  have  made  him  sus- 
pect the  house  had  fallen  on  him. 

The  mishap  saved  the  victim  of  Dinah's 
wrath,  but  at  a  stunning  cost  to  the  under  fel- 
low, who  lay  for  a  minute  or  two  as  if  dead, 
before  he  was  able  to  regain  his  breath  and 
climb  to  his  feet. 

In  the  meantime,  the  author  of  this  catas- 
trophe was  wise  enough  to  improve  the 
moments. 

"Dar!"  she  muttered,  checking  herself  on 
the  edge  of  the  roof,  "I  reckons  you  know  a 
blamed  sight  more  dan  you  eber  did  afore, 
and  arter  dis,  when  you  tries  to  steal  into  a 
'spectable  lady's  room,  you'll  knock  at  de 
doah  fust." 

It  was  not  to  be  supposed  that  in  the  dark- 
ness the  Comanches  below  would  grasp  the 
situation  offhand,  and,  before  they  could  do 
so,  Dinah  scurried  over  the  peak  of  the  roof 
to  the  scuttle,  which  of  course  was  still  open, 
and  descended.  In  her  haste,  she  stepped 
upon  the  back  of  the  chair,  which  tripped 
over,  and  she  went  down  with  a  crash  that 
shook  the  entire  building. 


CHANGING  PLACES.  87 

Mrs.  Shirril  dashed  into  the  room,  in 
consternation. 

"What  in  Heaven's  name  is  the  matter, 
Dinah  1" 

"  Nuffin's  de  matter  wid  me,  but  I  guess  it 
am  all  day  wid  dat  cheer,  howsumeber." 

The  captain  hurried  up  the  ladder,  flung 
back  the  covering,  and  leaped  into  the  apart- 
ment. 

"Who's  killed?  What's  the  trouble?" 
he  gasped. 

"Nuffin,"  replied  the  servant,  impatient 
with  the  continued  questioning;  "  I's  been 
promenadin'  a  little  on  de  roof  and  de  cheer 
flopped  ober  when  I  sot  my  foot  on  it." 

Everything  being  in  darkness,  the  eyes  of 
the  party  were  useless.  The  captain  groped 
around  to  help  Dinah  to  her  feet,  but  she  was 
already  there,  sound  in  limb  and  body. 

"If  you  wants  sumfin  to  do,  capting," 
said  she,  "jes'  fasten  dat  doah  above  yer 
head." 

"How  came  it  open?"  he  asked,  as  he 
hastily  complied,  still  unable  to  comprehend 
what  had  taken  place. 


88        THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

"Habent  I  jes'  tole  yer  dat  I's  been  out  on 
deroof?" 

"I  heard  her  there,"  said  the  wife,  "and 
was  on  my  way  to  learn  what  it  meant,  when 
the  crash  came." 

In  answer  to  the  questions  of  the  couple, 
Dinah  soon  made  clear  what  had  taken  place. 
Her  employers  were  filled  with  admiration  of 
her  pluck,  and  wonder  at  its  brilliant  success. 
That  she  had  saved  the  dwelling  from  burning 
and  averted  a  frightful  death  from  them  all  was 
evident.  They  praised  her  highly,  though  the 
captain  insisted  that  she  ought  to  have  told 
him  of  her  intention  before  climbing  through 
upon  the  roof. 

"Cotch  me  doin'  dal,"  she  chuckled, 
"when  I  knowed  dat  you  would  hab  stopped 
me.  Dinah  aint  as  big  a  fool  as  she  looks." 

"No  one  certainly  could  have  managed  it 
with  the  skill  shown  by  you.  I  would  have 
kept  within  the  opening  and  shot  the  scamp." 

"  And  what  would  you  hab  done  wid  de 
fiah,  eh?" 

"Put  it  out  in  some  way." 

"  And  got  shot  yourself  !     Your  fut  isn't  as 


CHANGING  PLACES.  89 

as  promise' us  as  mine  and  it  would  hab  tooken 
you  longer ;  it  wanted  only  one  slap  ob  my 
shoe  and  de  bus' ness  war  done." 

"Perhaps  you  were  right,"  said  the  cap- 
tain with  a  laugh ;  "but  I  am  afraid  we  are 
not  through  with  those  attempts ;  they  came 
so  near  succeeding  that  they  will  soon  try 
it  again." 

"I  don't  t'ink  dat  black  rascal  will  try  it 
wery  soon,  'cause  I  gib  him  a  shookin'  up 
dat  he  wont  git  ober  for  a  week." 

"I  have  no  doubt  of  that,  but  there  are 
others  just  as  venturesome  as  he,  and  they  will 
try  it." 

"Is  not  that  the  only  source  of  danger?" 
asked  the  wife. 

"It  can  hardly  be  said  to  be  so,  but  it's  the 
chief  source ;  I  will  stay  here,  and  you, 
Edna,  had  better  go  below ;  the  room  is  so 
well  cleared  of  smoke  that  it  will  cause  you 
little  trouble." 

"And  what  is  I  gwine  to  do?"  asked 
Dinah. 

"You  may  accompany  your  mistress;  if  I 
find  myself  in  need  of  you  I  will  call." 


90        THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

"I's  afeard  you  won't  t'ink  yourself  in  need 
ob  me,  if  some  more  ob  dem  scamps  come 
pokin'  round  de  doah  up  dere." 

"Well,  I  will  try  to  take  care  of  them  my- 
self, but  I  give  you  my  word  if  your  help  is 
needed  it  will  be  asked." 

This  was  the  most  that  the  servant  could 
get  from  her  master,  and  she  had  no  choice 
but  to  do  as  directed.  Mrs.  Shirril  led  the 
way  down  the  ladder,  followed  by  her  serv- 
ant, and  they  quickly  found  themselves  on 
the  lower  floor. 

Enough  smoke  remained  in  the  room  to 
cause  Dinah  another  fit  of  sneezing,  but  the 
shattered  window  and  the  opening  of  the 
door  at  the  head  of  the  primitive  stairs  gave 
such  good  vent  that  a  rapid  improvement 
took  place. 

"I  don't  see  that  there  is  much  for  us  to 
do,"  remarked  the  mistress,  taking  her  place 
near  the  door,  and  out  of  range  of  either  of 
the  windows,  "but  they  may  try  something 
of  which  we  have  no  suspicion,  and,  if  so, 
we  shall  have  the  chance  to  do  better  ser- 
vice here  than  above  stairs." 


CHANGING  PLACES.  91 

"Poserbly,  but  it  doesn't  strike  me  dat 
way ;  seems  to  me  dat  fiah  am  'ginning  to 
flare  up  again." 

The  smothering  blanket  by  this  time  was 
so  far  consumed  that  the  embers  showed 
beneath,  though  with  less  strength  than  at 
first.  They  diffused  a  slight  illumination 
through  the  room,  and  enabled  the  two 
women  to  see  each  other's  figures  dimly,  as 
they  moved  silently  about,  alert,  listening, 
and  watchful. 

The  embers  could  have  been  extinguished 
by  making  use  of  the  same  means  as  be- 
fore, but  the  certainty  of  a  denser  volume 
of  strangling  smoke,  to  say  nothing  of  the 
loss  of  the  valuable  article,  prevented  any 
use  of  the  remedy. 

"Bress  my  soul,  if  dar  isn't  anoder  war- 
mint  !" 

Dinah,  rifle  in  hand,  had  stationed  herself 
by  the  heavy  door,  against  which  she  slightly 
leaned.  As  she  did  so,  she  felt  an  almost 
insensible  yielding  on  its  part,  as  though  a 
powerful  pressure  on  the  outside  was  being 
exerted  to  force  it  inward. 


92  THE  GREAT   CATTLE  TRAIL. 

"  How  can  you  know  that  ? "  asked  her  mis- 
tress, stepping  to  her  side. 

"  Jes  put  your  hand  right  here  and  feel  for 
yourself." 

The  delicate  hand  of  the  lady  was  placed 
against  the  structure,  and  there  could  bo  no 
doubt  that  someone  was  pushing  strongly 
against  the  other  side. 

"  Yes,"  said  she  in  a  low  voice,  "  they  are 
there,  but  they  can  do  no  harm,  as  long  as  they 
confine  themselves  to  that." 

"  S'pose  dey  butt  dar  heads  agin  it  ? " 

"It  will  be  worse  for  their  heads  than  for 
the  door,  but  I  think  your  people  are  the  only 
ones  who  work  that  way." 

"Dat's  'cause  we  hab  de  hardest  kind  ob 
heads,"  was  the  truthful  response;  "  but 
mebbe  dey's  usin'  some  thin'  else  to  break  in 
de  door." 

"It  can  do  no  injury  if  they  do,"  replied 
Mrs.  Shirril,  who  could  not  shake  off  a  feeling 
of  uneasiness  because  of  the  discovery. 

While  it  was  apparent  that  the  door  could 
not  be  forced  by  any  conceivable  means  at 
the  command  of  the  Comanches,  there  was  a 


CHANGING  PLACES.  93 

doubt  as  to  their  precise  intentions  that 
troubled  the  good  woman.  She  had  the  proof 
that  their  relentless  enemies  were  busy,  and 
their  well-known  cunning  was  likely  to  sug- 
gest ways  of  reaching  their  end,  which,  for  a 
time  at  least,  must  remain  unsuspected  by  the 
defenders  of  the  cabin. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

ON  THE  KOOF. 

CAPTAIN  DOHM  SHIRRIL  was  never 
V^  more  in  earnest  than  when  he  declared 
that  the  Comanches  meant  to  renew  their 
attempt  to  fire  his  cabin. 

Having  come  so  near  success,  they  would 
resort  to  the  same  means,  taking  care  to 
provide  against  a  second  ignominious  de- 
feat at  the  hands  of  the  defenders. 

The  darkness,  on  the  whole,  was  far  more 
helpful  to  the  latter  than  to  their  assailants, 
for,  if  care  was  used,  it  was  beyond  the 
power  of  the  Indians  to  discover  the  pres- 
ence of  any  person  on  the  roof.  The  Co- 
manches, from  the  force  of  circumstances, 
would  have  to  move  back  some  rods  from 
the  building,  to  see  the  cover,  and  that  dis- 
tance was  sufficient  -to  shut  out  all  sight  of 
a  figure,  so  long  as  it  remained  prone.  If  a 

94 


ON  THE  KOOF.  95 

man  rose  to  his  feet,  as  Dinah  had  done, 
his  outlines  would  show,  and  he  would 
become  an  instant  target  for  the  redskins. 

It  was  with  a  full  conviction  of  these  im- 
portant facts  that  the  Texan,  imitating  the 
action  of  his  servant,  unfastened  the  scuttle, 
and  noiselessly  let  it  fall  back  behind  him. 
Then  he  thrust  his  head  and  shoulders 
through  and  scanned  the  half  of  the  roof  in 
his  field  of  vision. 

Nothing  to  cause  alarm  was  discerned, 
and  rising  still  higher,  he  peered  over  the 
peak  to  the  other  side. 

The  air  had  the  odor  of  burning  wood, 
and  the  cavity  burned  in  the  roof  showed 
signs  of  life,  but  they  were  so  slight  as  to 
be  harmless.  They  would  soon  die  out, 
despite  the  strong  wind  still  blowing. 

It  need  not  be  said  that  the  Texan  had 
not  the  remotest  intention  of  following  the 
example  of  his  servant.  If  he  should  dis- 
cover the  presence  of  an  Indian  on  the  roof, 
little  fear  of  an  attempt  to  steal  upon  him 
unaware  and  fling  him  to  the  earth  below. 
The  captain  held  his  Winchester  firmly 


96      '  THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

grasped  and  most  of  its  chambers  were 
charged.  That  offered  the  true  solution  of 
his  problem,  in  case  of  the  appearance  of 
danger,  and  he  was  not  the  man  to  hesitate 
in  such  an  emergency. 

He  did  not  fail  to  notice  that  which  was 
observed  by  his  nephew :  the  Comanches  had 
ceased  their  whooping  and  firing,  though 
the  tramping  of  their  mustangs  proved  that 
most  of  the  warriors  were  still  mounted 
and  circling  back  and  forth  in  the  aimless 
effort  to  detect  some  means  of  getting  at 
the  defiant  inmates  of  the  house. 

"Avon  has  given  them  the  slip,"  was  his 
conclusion,  "though  he  must  have  had  a 
close  call.  There  is  one  Indian  less,  at  any 
rate,  than  when  he  stole  out  of  the  cabin." 

Such  was  the  fact,  though,  as  we  have 
shown,  he  did  not  fall  by  the  rifle  of  the 
youth. 

The  Texan  was  standing  on  the  chair  in  the 
upper  room,  with  his  head  and  shoulders 
through  the  opening,  all  his  senses  on  the 
alert,  when  he  caught  the  faint  report  of  a 
rifle,  repeated  several  times.  The  sounds 


GIST  THE  HOOF.  97 

came  from  a  point  a  long  way  off,  and  he 
could  only  conjecture  their  cause. 

"If  it  was  over  yonder,"  he  added,  refer- 
ring to  a  point  of  the  compass  almost  oppo- 
site, "I  would  believe  the  boy  fired  the  gun 
and  had  come  in  collision  with  some  more  of 
the  scamps  that  are  so  plenty  to-night,  but  he 
can't  be  over  there,  because  that  would  lead 
him  further  from  the  camp  of  the  cattle- 
men." 

And  yet,  as  the  reader  suspects,  the  rifle 
was  discharged  by  the  young  man,  who,  in 
obedience  to  the  general  law,  had  strayed  in 
the  wrong  direction  in  his  blind  search  for 
his  friends. 

It  was  not  necessary  to  give  any  attention 
to  matters  below  stairs.  He  could  not  believe 
that  danger  threatened  there,  but,  should  it 
appear  in  an  unexpected  form,  the  women 
would  give  quick  notice,  and  he  could  hasten 
to  their  aid. 

"Avon  ought  to  reach  camp  in  half  an 
hour,"  continued  the  Texan,  following  his 
train  of  thought ;  "  true,  he  is  on  foot,  but  he 
knows  every  step  of  the  way,  and  won't  allow 

7 


98        THE  GKEAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

the  grass  to  grow  under  his  feet ;  it  will  take 
the  boys  about  half  a  minute  to  make  ready  ; 
the  cattle  can  be  left  to  themselves,  so  they 
ought  to  be  here  within  three-quarters  of  an 
hour,  and  won't  they  make  fur  fly  when  they 
do  come ! "  added  the  Texan  with  a  thrill ; 
"  they  will  welcome  such  a  chance  to  even  up 
matters  with  these  cattle  thieves,  who  have 
been  hanging  round  the  country  for  nearly  a 
week ;  they  will  give  them  a  lesson  which 
will  make  it  safe  for  the  women  until  we  get 
back,  even  if  gone  six  months." 

Despite  his  watchfulness  against  his  foes, 
his  gaze  continually  wandered  to  the  north- 
ward, whence  the  expected  aid  was  to  come. 
His  elevation  was  not  sufficient  to  permit  him 
to  see  beyond  the  ridge  which  his  relative 
must  pass  to  reach  camp,  but  he  listened  for 
the  assuring  shouts  which  were  sure  to  pro- 
claim the  arrival  of  the  brave  fellows  who 
were  always  ready  to  risk  their  lives  for  a 
friend. 

Although  the  captain  relied  chiefly  upon 
the  darkness  to  screen  him  from  sight  of  the 
Comanches,  he  could  not  feel  sure  of  entire 


ON   THE   ROOF.  99 

safety  in  his  situation.  In  order  to  hold  all 
of  the  roof  in  his  field  of  vision,  he  had  to 
keep  not  only  his  head  but  his  shoulders 
above  the  level  of  the  scuttle.  By  doing  this, 
he  could  look  over  the  peak,  but  his  danger 
lay  in  the  evident  fact  that  the  Indians  knew 
the  location  of  the  opening,  and  would  use 
their  eyes  for  all  they  were  worth  in  striving 
to  detect  anyone  venturing  out  of  it. 

The  conviction,  therefore,  was  that  his 
conspicuous  posture  was  likely  to  reveal  his 
outlines  to  some  watchful  warrior,  who  might 
rise  to  his  feet  on  the  back  of  his  steed  so  as 
to  permit  a  closer  view  of  the  roof. 

No  more  uncomfortable  sensation  can  be 
imagined  than  that  of  one  who  continually 
invites  the  skill  of  a  sharp-shooter,  and  the 
Texan  met  the  difficulty  not  by  shrinking, 
like  a  turtle,  within  his  protection,  but  by 
climbing  stealthily  out  upon  the  planking, 
where  he  remained  extended  at  full  length. 

This  rendered  him  less  liable  to  be  seen,  but 
if  his  assailants  should  take  a  notion  to  sweep 
the  deck,  as  may  be  said,  with  rifle  bullets, 
he  was  far  more  likely  to  receive  some  of 


100       THE  GEEAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

tliem  in  his  X)erson  than  he  would  be  by 
retaining  his  former  place. 

But  a  greater  or  less  degree  of  danger  must 
attend  any  effort  to  frustrate  the  designs  of 
the  red  men,  who  were  inspired  by  a  hatred 
intensified  by  the  loss  of  two  of  their  number. 

With  his  face  almost  pressing  the  planking 
the  Texan  drew  himself,  inch  by  inch,  along 
the  roof,  until  he  was  some  six  feet  distant. 
Then  he  paused  and  listened,  slightly  raising 
his  head  and  peering  around  in  the  gloom. 

Once  he  heard  the  hoofs  of  a  galloping 
horse,  which,  however,  quickly  ceased.  Then 
several  whistle-like  signals  passed  between  the 
marauders,  and  he  was  able  to  catch  the  mur- 
mur of  voices  within  the  cabin.  The  wife  and 
servant  were  talking  together,  and,  though 
their  words  were  low,  the  open  doors  allowed 
the  slight  noise  to  reach  the  ears  of  the  Texan, 
without  telling  him  what  words  were  spoken. 

Holding  his  position  several  minutes,  he 
turned  a  little  to  the  left  and  crept  along,  until 
able  to  look  over  the  low  peak  of  the  roof. 
He  did  this  by  raising  his  head  the  few  inches 
necessary  to  bring  his  eyes  just  above  the  level. 


ON  THE  ROOF.  101 

Everything,  so  far  as  he  could  judge,  was 
the  same  as  before.  The  smouldering  in  the 
cavity  had  died  out,  though  the  smoke  was  as 
pungent  as  ever. 

"  Dinah  could  not  have  done  her  work  more 
effectively,  and  a  reasonable  person  ought  to 
be  satisfied " 

His  keen  sense  of  hearing  apprised  him  of  a 
noise,  slight  bat  significant,  near  him.  His 
first  thought  was  that  it  was  in  front,  but  the 
next  moment  he  knew  it  came  from  the  rear. 
Turning  his  head  in  that  direction,  without 
moving  his  body,  he  caught  the  outlines  of  a 
Comanche's  head  at  the  lower  corner  of  the 
roof  behind  him.  It  slowly  rose  until  the 
shoulders  appeared,  and  no  doubt  remained 
that  the  Indian  was  cautiously  climbing 
upon  the  roof,  to  renew  t^e  attempt  to  set 
fire  to  it. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

A  DEAD   RACE. 

A  YON  BURNET  was  thunderstruck. 
~L\-  When  he  supposed  he  was  several  miles 
from  the  cabin  of  his  uncle,  he  found  himself 
directly  in  front  of  it,  and  the  Indian  horse, 
upon  which  he  relied  to  take  him  to  the  camp 
of  the  cattlemen,  had  brought  him  to  what 
might  be  called  the  mouth  of  the  lion's  den. 

Not  only  had  the  precious  minutes  been 
thrown  away,  but  his  peril  was  of  the  most 
desperate  nature. 

Hardly  had  the  pony  halted,  when  a  couple 
of  figures  loomed  to  view  in  the  darkness  on 
the  left,  and  one  of  them  called  to  him  in 
Comanche.  This  told  the  youth  that  his 
identity  was  unsuspected  by  the  red  men, 
whose  view  was  too  indistinct  to  distinguish 
him  from  one  of  their  own  number.  But  they 

were    coming    toward    him,    and    his    broad 

102 


A  DEAD  RACE.  103 

sombrero  must  reveal  the  truth  the  next 
instant. 

Not  a  second  was  to  be  lost.  They  were 
almost  upon  him,  when  he  wheeled  and  urged 
his  mustang  to  a  dead  run,  throwing  himself 
forward  at  the  same  moment,  in  the  usual 
way,  to  avoid  the  ballets  that  would  be  whis- 
tling about  him  before  he  could  pass  beyond 
reach. 

But  the  steed  got  the  mischief  in  him  at 
this  moment.  He  must  have  understood 
the  treachery  demanded  of  him,  for  instead  of 
dashing  off,  as  was  expected,  he  spitefully 
flung  his  head  from  side  to  side  and  reared, 
with  his  fore -legs  high  from  the  ground. 

Had  Avon  been  on  the  open  prairie,  with 
time  at  his  command,  he  would  have  con- 
quered the  beast,  as  he  had  done  many  a  time 
with  others,  but  he  could  not  do  so  now. 
There  was  not  the  twinkling  of  an  eye  at  his 
disposal. 

The  mustang  was  still  rearing  and  pawing 
the  air,  when  Avon  whisked  over  his  shoul- 
der, like  a  skilled  equestrian,  landing  nimbly 
on  his  feet,  and  breaking  into  a  dead  run 


104  THE   GREAT   CATTLE  TEAIL. 

toward  the  cattle  camp  five  miles  away.  His 
action,  as  well  as  that  of  his  horse,  made 
known  the  astonishing  truth  to  the  approach- 
ing Comanches. 

Several  warning  whoops  broke  the  stillness, 
and  it  seemed  to  the  fugitive  that  half  the 
Indians  were  in  pursuit  of  him.  He  glanced 
back  and  was  not  a  little  surprised  to  observe 
that  all  were  on  foot.  The  pony  which  had 
just  been  freed  must  have  concluded  to  enjoy 
his  liberty  while  the  chance  was  his,  for, 
instead  of  going  to  his  master,  he  galloped 
whinnying  in  another  direction. 

But  all  of  these  men  had  mustangs,  which, 
as  has  been  said,  were  among  the  finest  of 
their  species,  and  they  were  likely  to  take 
part  in  the  singular  contest. 

If  the  chase  should  retain  its  present  char- 
acter the  young  man  had  hope,  for  he  was  one 
of  the  fleetest  of  Texans,  who  had  never  met 
his  superior  among  the  veterans  of  the  plains. 
The  Comanches  are  also  wonderfully  active  on 
foot,  and  it  remained  to  be  decided  whether 
they  could  overtake  him  in  a  fair  contest. 

Avon  Burnet  ran  as  never  before.     He  was 


A   DEAD   RACE.  105 

speeding  now  for  his  own  life  as  well  as  for 
that  of  his  friends,  for  they  were  in  as  urgent 
need  of  help  as  ever.  He  knew  his  face  was 
toward  camp,  he  remembered  the  nature  of 
the  ground,  and  had  no  fear,  therefore,  of 
stumbling  into  any  pitfalls. 

Accustomed  as  the  Comanches  were  to  run- 
ning, they  must  have  been  surprised  at  the 
burst  of  speed  shown  by  the  young  man,  who 
seemed  to  be  going  over  the  plain  like  the 
wind. 

As  he  ran  Avon  cast  furtive  glances  over 
his  shoulder,  and  his  heart  tingled  when  he 
saw  that  he  was  steadily  drawing  away  from 
the  four  figures  which  seemed  to  have  sprung 
from  the  ground  itself. 

"Keep  it  up,  boys,"  he  muttered,  "  and  see 
where  you  land.  If  you  can  down  me  in  this 
style,  you  are  welcome." 

But  it  was  not  to  be  expected  that  the  pur, 
suers  would  content  themselves  while  the 
swift-footed  youth  left  them  out  of  sight. 
The  moment  they  saw  that  such  an  issue  was 
likely,  they  would  resort  to  their  rifles,  and 
there  could  be  no  question  of  their  skill  with 


106  THE  GREAT   CATTLE  TRAIL. 

those  weapons,  which  they  had  been  accus- 
tomed to  use  from  the  hour  they  were  strong 
enough  to  hold  one  of  them. 

There  must  have  been  some  urgent  wish  on 
the  part  of  the  red  men  to  capture  the  youth, 
else  they  would  have  appealed  to  their  guns 
at  first.  The  rearing  mustang  served  as  a 
partial  shield  to  the  fugitive,  until  he  was 
fairly  under  way  and  had  secured  a  start  of 
several  rods,  in  fact  being  almost  invisible  in 
the  gloom  at  the  moment  the  race  fairly 
opened. 

The  third  glance  over  his  shoulder  showed 
him  only  two  of  the  Comanches  in  sight,  and 
hardly  half  a  minute  elapsed,  when,  on  look- 
ing back  again,  only  one  was  visible. 

But  the  fact  became  speedily  apparent  that 
this  particular  red  man  was  as  fleet  as  him- 
self. He  must  have  been  the  champion  of  his 
tribe,  since  he  parted  company  with  his  com- 
panions so  speedily. 

"I  don't  know  whether  I  can  shake  you  off 
or  not,"  thought  the  fugitive,  "but  it's  a 
mighty  sight  better  to  be  chased  by  a  single 
enemy  than  by  several." 


A  DEAD   EACE.  107 

The  youth  determined  upon  a  piece  of 
strategy,  should  it  prove  possible.  He  meant 
to  keep  up  the  flight,  without  escaping  his 
pursuer,  until  he  was  drawn  so  far  away  from 
the  rest  that  he  could  receive  no  help  from 
them.  This,  at  the  same  time,  would  encour- 
age the  miscreant  in  the  belief  that  he  would 
soon  overhaul  and  make  him  prisoner. 

The  first  part  of  the  scheme  was  compara- 
tively simple.  It  was  easier  to  allow  the 
scamp  to  gain  upon  him  than  it  was  to  outrun 
him  ;  it  was  somewhat  more  difficult  to  hold 
the  rates  of  speed  relatively  equal,  while  it 
looked  extremely  doubtful  whether,  when  the 
moment  should  arrive,  he  could  leave  him 
behind. 

In  support  of  this  view,  Avon  did  not  fail  to 
remember  that  he  had  put  forth  his  utmost 
exertion  from  the  first,  and  still  was  unable  to 
shake  off  his  enemy,  who  clung  as  persistently 
to  him  as  does  the  wolf  to  the  wounded 
bison. 

What  he  feared,  too,  as  much  as  anything 
else,  was  that  the  other  Comanches,  who  had 
withdrawn  from  the  race,  would  hasten  to  the 


108  THE  GllEAT   CATTLE  TRAIL. 

vicinity  of  the  cabin,  and,  mounting  their 
mustangs,  take  part  in  the  struggle.  If  a 
horseman  should  get  but  a  single  glimpse  of 
him,  it  would  not  take  him  long  to  run  the 
fugitive  down. 

It  was  this  dread  which  caused  him  to 
swerve  gradually  to  the  left,  though  he  kept 
such  careful  note  of  the  change  that  there  was 
no  danger  of  his  going  astray  as  before. 

None  of  the  pursuers,  from  the  moment  of 
starting,  gave  vent  to  any  outcry,  as  they  are 
generally  supposed  to  do  under  similar  cir- 
cumstances. Such  a  proceeding  would  have 
been  as  great  a  draught  upon  his  strength  as 
outright  laughter,  and  the  American  Indian  is 
too  wise  not  to  husband  every  resource. 

It  required  little  cessation  of  effort  to  per- 
mit the  Comanche  to  come  up  with  him  at  an 
alarming  rate.  A  few  minutes  would  have 
allowed  the  pursuer  to  overhaul  the  fugitive. 

Only  a  few  minutes  had  passed  since  the 
furious  start,  and  Avon  felt  that  the  time  had 
come  to  consider  himself  as  dealing  only  with 
this  single  redskin.  Still  bearing  to  the  left 
he  put  forth  all  his  energies,  resolved  to  run 


A   DEAD    RACE.  109 

away  from  him,  if  the  achievement  was  within 
the  range  of  possibility. 

It  was  not.  Try  as  desperately  as  he 
might,  the  Comanche  could  not  be  shaken 
off. 

An  encounter  being  inevitable,  Avon  had  to 
decide  upon  the  manner  in  which  it  should 
take  place. 

Inasmuch  as  the  warrior  must  have  felt  cer- 
tain of  coming  up  with  him,  he  was  not  likely 
to  appeal  to  his  rifle,  or  that  would  have 
been  his  first  act  when  the  contest  opened. 
He  would  continue  to  run  until  near  enough 
either  to  seize  the  youth  or  to  use  his  weapon 
against  him. 

Avon  concluded  that  the  only  course  which 
offered  hope  was  to  allow  the  warrior  to 
approach  slightly  closer,  and  then  to  wheel 
and  let  him  have  several  chambers  from  his 
Winchester. 

He  would  have  to  act  quickly,  but  he  had 
already  proven  himself  capable  of  that,  and  it 
might  be  that  the  Comanche  would  be  looking 
for  something  of  the  kind,  and  was  supple 
enough  to  secure  the  drop  on  him.  His 


110  THE   GREAT   CATTLE  TRAIL. 

people  were  accustomed  to  border  warfare  and 
had  graduated  in  all  the  subtlety  of  the  fear- 
ful business. 

Young  Burnet  had  fixed  his  course  of  action 
in  his  mind  when,  to  his  consternation,  he 
heard  the  sounds  of  approaching  hoofs  over 
the  prairie! 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE  FRIEND  IN  NEED. 

IF  horsemen  were  thundering  toward  the 
spot,  the  fugitive  was  doomed. 

But,  though  seized  with  despair,  he  did  not 
yield.  On  the  contrary,  he  was  nerved  to 
such  desperation  that  he  put  forth  a  tremen- 
dous effort,  which  quickly  increased  the  space 
between  him  and  the  pursuer. 

But  instead  of  heading  away  from  the  com- 
ing animals,  he  turned  directly  toward  them, 
at  the  same  astonishing  velocity.  Why  he 
did  this,  he  himself  did  not  fully  understand. 
It  may  have  been  that,  impressed  with  the 
utter  uselessness  of  trying  to  escape  by  run- 
ning, he  had  a  blind  hope  of  unhorsing  one  of 
his  enemies  and  wrenching  his  steed  from 
him. 

He  had  taken  only  a  few  leaps,  however, 
when  he  discovered  that  the  beasts  running 

forward,  as  if  to  meet  him,  were  cattle. 

in 


112       THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

Fully  fifty  animals,  belonging  to  the  herd 
several  miles  distant,  had  started  out  on  a 
little  stampede  of  their  own,  and  fate  brought 
them  and  him  in  collision. 

It  mattered  not,  for  nothing  could  make 
the  situation  worse.  The  next  instant  Avon 
was  among  them,  in  imminent  risk  of  being 
trampled  to  death.  The  beasts  were  terrified 
by  the  advent  of  the  footman,  and  scattered  in 
the  wildest  confusion. 

While  he  was  in  such  deadly  peril,  the 
animals  served  as  a  shield  against  the  assault 
of  the  Comanche  close  behind  him.  Anxious 
as  he  was  to  secure  the  fugitive,  he  was  not 
prepared  to  "cut  him  out"  from  a  drove  of 
stampeded  cattle. 

He  turned  to  avoid  the  terrific  rush,  and 
catching  fitful  glimpses  of  the  leaping  form 
among  the  beasts,  raised  his  gun  and  let  fly. 

His  shot  struck,  but,  instead  of  bringing 
down  the  youth,  it  tumbled  one  of  the 
bullocks  headlong  on  the  plain.  Avon  would 
have  turned  at  once  to  give  attention  to  his 
enemy,  had  he  not  been  fully  occupied  in  sav- 
ing himself  from  the  animals  themselves. 


THE  FKIEND   IN  JSTEED.  113 

Fortunately  he  had  not  penetrated  far 
among  the  drove,  and,  by  a  continuance  of  his 
inimitable  dexterity,  he  dodged  from  among 
them,  helped  thereto  by  the  efforts  of  the 
cattle  themselves  to  flee  from  the  terrifying 
object. 

It  was  at  this  juncture,  when  the  youth  was 
striving  to  get  sight  of  his  enemy,  who,  he 
believed,  was  trying  equally  hard  to  secure 
another  shot  at  him,  that  he  saw  the  very 
thing  he  had  been  dreading  from  the  first. 

It  was  a  single  horseman,  who  almost  rode 
him  down  ere  he  could  check  his  steed.  Avon 
was  so  flurried  from  his  fierce  exertions,  that, 
before  he  could  bring  his  rifle  to  his  shoulder 
and  discharge  it,  the  other  anticipated  him. 

But  the  man  did  not  fire  at  Tiim.  He  aimed 
at  the  Comanche,  not  a  dozen  yards  distant, 
and  hit  him  fairly  and  squarely. 

"  Helloa,  Baby,  what  the  mischief  is  up  ? " 

« Thank  Heaven,  Ballyhoo,  it's  you!" 
exclaimed  the  panting  youth,  ready  to  drop 
from  exhaustion. 

"  Ballyhoo,"  was  the  nickname  of  Oscar 
Gleeson,  one  of  the  cowboys  in  charge  of  the 

8 


114       THE  GEEAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

two  thousand  cattle  that  were  to  start  north- 
ward on  the  morrow  over  the  Great  Cattle 
Trail. 

"Baby"  was  the  name  by  which  Avon 
Burnet  was  known  among  the  rest,  because 
of  his  youth. 

Leaning  over  his  horse,  the  tall  Texan 
reached  down  and  grasped  the  hand  of  his 
young  friend. 

"It  sort  of  looks,  Baby,  as  though  I  had 
arrived  in  time  to  do  you  a  little  turn." 

"There's  no  doubt  of  that,  for  I  couldn't 
have  run  much  further." 

"But  why  did  you  run  at  all?  I  observed 
but  one  Injin,  and  he's  of  no  further  account 
now." 

"  When  I  started  there  were  four  after  me, 
but  I  threw  all  out  of  sight  except  one.  I  was 
on  the  point  of  turning  to  fight  him,  when  I 
heard  the  cattle,  and  thought  they  were  other 
Comanches  coming  to  the  help  of  this  fellow." 

"  But  things  seem  to  be  in  a  queer  shape  at 
the  house  ;  tell  me  the  trouble." 

"Why,  how  did  you  know  anything  about 
it  at  alU"  asked  the  surprised  Avon. 


THE  FRIEND  IN  NEED.  115 

"I've  been  down  there  and  seen  things  for 
myself." 

"  Let  me  hear  about  that  first,  then  I'll  let 
you  know  what  I  have  to  tell,  and  it  is 
important  indeed." 

The  Texan,  in  obedience  to  his  training,  cast 
a  look  after  the  vanishing  herd  and  sighed. 

4  i  It  '11  be  a  big  job  to  round  them  up,  but  I 
guess  we'll  have  to  leave  'em  alone  for  a  time. 
Wai,  you  know  we  went  into  camp  a  few  miles 
to  the  north,  to  wait  for  you  and  the  captain 
that  was  to  jine  us  in  the  morning.  We  were 
looking  after  things,  when  I  remembered  that 
I  had  left  my  package  of  tobacco  at  the  house. 
Things  were  so  quiet,  and  I  was  so  afeared 
that  you  and  the  captain  would  forgit  to  bring 
it  with  you,  that  I  concluded  to  ride  over  after 
it  myself.  I  never  dreamed  of  any  of  the  var- 
mints being  there,  and  was  going  along  at  a 
swinging  gait,  when  I  heard  the  sound  of  a 
gun  and  I  fetched  up  my  horse  to  learn  what 
it  meant.  I  didn't  see  an  Injin,  but  while  I 
was  looking  somebody  made  a  rush  from  the 
front  of  the  house  for  the  bush." 

"It  was  myself,"  interrupted  Avon  excit- 


116  THE  GREAT   CATTLE  TRAIL. 

edly,  uand  the  captain  fired  to  save  me  and 
did  it." 

"I  reckon  that  was  Ballyhoo  Gleeson  that 
let  loose  that  partic'lar  shot,"  said  the  cow- 
boy with  a  chuckle;  "I  didn't  know  who  it 
was  running,  but  thought  it  was  one  of  the 
varmints.  Just  afore  that  I  was  sure  that  I 
seed  one  of  'em  and  I  let  fly,  shootin'  on 
gineral  principles  as  you  might  say.  I 
might  have  investigated  things,  but  the  Co- 
manches  were  too  numerous  for  comfort,  and 
I  wheeled  about  and  made  off." 

"So  it  was  you  who  fired  the  shot  that 
really  cleared  the  way  for  me,"  said  the  as- 
tonished youth;  "I  supposed,  all  the  time, 
that  it  was  my  uncle.  Where  have  you  been 
since?" 

"I  started  for  camp  to  tell  the  boys,  and 
was  on  my  way  when  I  met  these  confounded 
cattle.  I  didn't  want  them  to  get  too  fur  off, 
as  none  of  the  fellows  'peared  to  be  after  them. 
I  was  trying  to  round  them  up,  when  this 
little  affair  took  place." 

"But,  Ballyhoo,  why  didn't  you  let  the 
cattle  go  and  make  all  haste  after  help." 


THE  FRIEND   IN   NEED.  117 

"  Who  wants  help?" 

"  The  folks  in  the  house  ;  do  you  suppose  I 
would  have  ventured  out  as  I  did,  if  they  were 
not  in  instant  need  of  it?  " 

Evidently  the  Texan  found  it  hard  to  under- 
stand the  extremity  of  Captain  Shirril  and  his 
family. 

"  There  are  three  of  'em  there  and  each  has 
a  gun  ;  I  don't  see  why  you  need  worry,  'cause 
the  varmints  can't  get  at  'em  and  they'll  clear 
out  in  the  morning." 

"  That  might  be,  but  uncle  says  they  will 
set  fire  to  the  cabin,  unless  they  are  driven 
off." 

"I  didn't  think  of  that"  replied  Gleeson, 
who  still  could  not  feel  the  alarm  of  his  young 
friend  ;  "  the  cabin  has  been  purty  well  dried 
up  by  the  drought  of  the  last  few  months.  I 
thought  the  varmints  were  after  the  cattle, 
and,"  he  added,  again  peering  through  the 
gloom  after  the  herd,  which  had  run  so  far 
that  they  were  not  only  out  of  sight  but  be- 
yond hearing,  uthey  stand  a  show  of  making 
a  good  haul.  But,"  he  continued  more 
savagely,  "they  will  find  a  little  trouble  in 


118  THE   GEEAT   CATTLE  TRAIL. 

getting  off  with  them.  There's  too  many  for 
us  to  lose  without  a  big  fight. " 

"  It  doesn't  make  any  difference  if  the  whole 
herd  is  stampeded,  we  must  hurry  to  the  aid 
of  the  folks  in  the  cabin." 

6 'Being  as  them  sentiments  are  the  cap- 
tain's," said  Ballyhoo,  "why,  I'm  agreeable 
to  doing  as  him  and  you  wish.  So  jump  up 
here  behind  me,  and  we'll  go  to  camp." 

"I  can  walk." 

"  Up  with  you  ! "  commanded  the  Texan. 
"  I  shouldn't  wonder  if  some  more  of  the  var- 
mints will  be  on  hand  afore  long,  to  attend  the 
obsequies  of  their  champion  runner." 

Avon  obeyed,  and  the  laden  mustang  struck 
off  to  the  northward,  at  an  easy  gait. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

VANISHED. 

IT  was  a  startling  sight,  when  Captain  Shir- 
ril,  stretched  at  full  length  on  the  roof  of 
his  cabin,  gazed  in  front  of  him  and  saw  the 
head  and  shoulders  of  a  Comanche  Indian 
slowly  rise  to  view  at  the  corner  of  the  eaves. 

He  could  not  doubt  its  meaning :  the  as- 
sailants were  bent  on  burning  the  structure, 
and  were  willing  to  face  the  danger  that  was 
sure  to  meet  them  in  making  the  attempt. 

Even  in  this  exciting  moment,  the  Texan 
could  not  help  asking  himself  the  question 
which  he  had  asked  many  times  before :  why 
did  not  the  redskins  set  fire  to  the  side  of  the 
house,  where  they  were  involved  in  no  such 
peril  as  now?  They  might  have  gathered 
several  armfuls  of  combustibles,  and,  heaping 
them  against  the  wooden  walls,  fire  them  at 

their  leisure,  but,  for  some  reason,  they  pre- 
119 


120  THE  GREAT   CATTLE  TRAIL. 

ferred  to  climb  upon  the  roof,  and  run  the.  risk 
of  colliding  with  the  courageous  Dinah  or  her 
fearless  master. 

In  doing  as  they  did,  the  Comanches  were 
shrewder  than  would  be  supposed.  It  is  true 
that  the  narrow  windows  commanded  only 
one  side  of  the  cabin,  and  that  the  attempt 
spoken  of  brought  little  if  any  danger  to 
themselves.  In  fact,  as  afterward  was 
learned,  they  did  their  best  to  set  fire  to  the 
rear,  and  at  the  end,  but  the  timber  was  so 
damp  that  the  flames  failed  to  communicate. 
The  long  continued  drought  affected  the  walls 
to  a  far  less  degree  than  the  roof,  where  the 
sun  had  free  play  day  after  day.  Had  there 
been  a  driving  storm,  the  top  would  have 
been  less  favorable  than  the  walls,  but  from 
the  causes  named  it  lost  its  moisture  much 
more  readily. 

Besides,  the  flames  on  the  roof  could  not  be 
reached  as  readily  nor  with  so  much  safety 
by  the  defenders  as  at  the  sides.  They 
naturally  believed  there  was  plenty  of  water 
at  command.  The  moment  the  fire  should 
begin  to  show  through  the  crevices  in  the 


VANISHED.  121 

timbers,  this  could  be  dashed  against  the 
other  side  and  brought  into  play. 

It  was  different  on  the  roof,  which  could 
not  be  reached  so  well.  There  may  have  been 
other  motives  influencing  the  Comanches  in 
the  first  instance,  such  as  supposing  that  the 
whites,  having  once  repulsed  the  attempt, 
would  not  look  for  its  repetition,  since  the 
Indians  must  expose  themselves  to  the 
greatest  possible  peril. 

However,  without  speculating  as  to  their 
reasons,  the  fact  remained  that  a  second 
Indian  was  rising  like  an  apparition  above 
the  eaves,  with  the  evident  intention  of  trying 
to  repair  the  failure  of  his  companion  a  short 
time  before. 

Captain  Shirril  felt  that  it  would  have  been 
better  had  he  stayed  where  he  was  ;  for,  with 
his  head  just  above  the  level  of  the  scuttle, 
he  could  have  picked  off  the  wretch  the  very 
moment  he  became  aware  of  his  presence. 

But  now,  while  creeping  so  guardedly  along 
the  roof,  he  had  held  his  rifle  by  the  barrel, 
with  most  of  the  weapon  behind. him.  Had  it 
been  discharged,  in  that  position,  it  was  he 


122       THE  GEEAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

who  would  have  received  the  bullet,  instead 
of  the  Indian. 

To  make  the  gun  effective,  lie  must  bring  it 
around  in  front  and  sight  it.  While  his  own 
form  pressed  the  planking  so  close  that  the 
savage  apparently  failed  to  identify  him, 
though  carefully  scanning  the  surface,  there 
was  a  strong  probability  that  he  would  detect 
the  meaning  of  the  slight  noise  involved  in 
the  act. 

The  Texan  dared  not  advance  nor  retreat, 
though  he  would  have  preferred  to  withdraw 
through  the  opening ;  but  the  moment  he 
made  sure  of  what  confronted  him,  he  began 
bringing  his  gun  forward,  with  the  resolve  to 
fire  the  moment  he  could  draw  a  bead  on  the 
miscreant. 

The  weapon  advanced  like  the  minute-hand 
over  the  face  of  a  clock.  Knowing  the  stake 
for  which  he  was  working,  he  did  not  neglect 
any  precaution  that  could  bring  success. 

"He  can  duck  his  head  quickly  enough," 
thought  the  captain,  "but  I'll  pick  him  off 
the  instant  there  is  reason  to  believe  he  scents 
mischief." 


VANISHED.  123 

His  intention,  in  such  an  event,  was  to 
bring  his  Winchester  to  the  right  position  and 
discharge  it  with  the  utmost  celerity.  His 
experience  in  the  Civil  War  and  in  Texas 
rendered  him  an  adept  at  this  business,  but, 
on  the  other  hand,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  pre- 
cautions of  the  Comanche  himself  could  be 
executed  in  a  twinkling. 

"  Confound  the  luck  I" 

Captain  Shirril  had  almost  reached  the 
decisive  point,  when  the  head  of  the  redskin 
vanished ! 

Whether  or  not  he  saw  his  danger  cannot 
be  said,  but  it  is  probable  that  the  slight  noise 
of  the  arm  and  gun  struck  his  ear  and  decided 
him  to  drop  out  of  sight  until  an  investigation 
should  be  made. 

The  Texan  was  exasperated,  for  he  was 
eager  to  bring  down  this  scamp,  and,  up  to 
the  moment  of  his  disappearance,  was  confi- 
dent of  doing  so,  but  the  opportunity  was  gone. 

Instead  of  retreating  to  cover  again,  he  de- 
cided to  remain  on  the  roof  a  brief  while 
longer ;  but  he  stealthily  shifted  his  position 
a  little  nearer  the  edge  of  the  building.  Now 


124  THE  GEEAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

that  he  was  at  liberty  for  the  moment,  he  laid 
aside  his  gun  and  drew  his  revolver.  That 
was  the  weapon  for  such  an  emergency,  and 
he  kept  it  in  position  for  instant  use,  with- 
out the  fatal  preliminaries  that  had  just  de- 
feated his  purpose. 

The  captain  clung  to  the  belief  that,  despite 
the  second  repulse  of  the  Comanches,  they 
would  persist  in  their  attempt  until  it  should 
prove  too  costly  to  them. 

But  he  was  not  shortsighted  enough  to  be- 
lieve the  repetition  would  be  in  the  precise 
fashion  of  the  last :  that  is  to  say,  he  did  not 
suspect  the  Indian,  after  ducking  so  promptly 
out  of  range,  would  pop  up  his  head  again  to 
invite  a  shot. 

"He  will  appear  at  some  other  corner," 
was  his  conclusion,  "which  they  believe  is 
unguarded." 

His  eyes  had  become  so  accustomed  to  the 
gloom  that  he  could  trace  the  outlines  of  the 
eaves  around  the  cabin,  and  he  felt  little  fear, 
therefore,  of  his  enemies  stealing  upon  him  una- 
wares. They  might  try  it,  but  he  was  confident 
of  defeating  their  purpose  at  the  very  onset. 


VANISHED.  125 

Another  fear  troubled  him  :  having  learned 
that  he  was  on  the  roof,  they  were  likely  to 
begin  firing  at  it  from  a  distance,  raking  the 
entire  surface  so  effectively  that  some  of  the 
bullets  were  quite  sure  to  find  him.  Pru- 
dence whispered  to  him  to  withdraw  into  the 
interior  of  the  cabin  while  the  chance  was  his, 
but  there  was  a  stubborn  streak  in  the  Texan's 
composition  which  caused  him  to  hold  his 
place.  He  had  been  under  fire  so  often  that  it 
seemed  as  if  nothing  could  disturb  his  cool- 
ness or  ruffle  his  presence  of  mind,  and  he  was 
so  inured  to  personal  peril  that  he  felt  some- 
thing of  the  old  thrill  of  which  he  had  spoken 
earlier  in  the  evening,  when  recalling  his  ex- 
perience in  the  war  that  had  closed  only  a  few 
years  before. 

But  none  of  the  expected  shots  came.  He 
heard  the  sound  of  more  than  one  mustang's 
hoofs,  and  several  signals  between  the  war- 
riors, but  no  one  sent  a  bullet  skimming  along 
the  slope  on  which  he  lay  looking  and  listen- 
ing, and  on  the  alert  for  the  first  appearance 
of  his  assailants. 

This  led  him  to  suspect  that,  after  all,  they 


126  THE  GEEAT   CATTLE  TEAIL. 

were  not  certain  of  his  presence.  It  was 
sound  and  not  sight  that  had  caused  the  sud- 
den withdrawal  of  the  warrior. 

If  this  were  the  case,  there  was  a  greater 
probability  of  his  showing  up  again. 

It  is  at  such  times  that  the  minutes  seem  to 
have  ten-fold  their  real  length.  The  Texan, 
after  glancing  closely  along  the  rim  of  the 
roof,  not  forgetting  to  take  a  peep  over  the 
peak,  turned  his  gaze  to  the  northward,  and 
listened  for  the  sounds  that  were  so  long  in 
coming.  Not  the  glimmer  of  a  light  showed 
in  that  direction,  nor  could  he  catch  the  faint- 
est sound  of  a  galloping  hoof,  other  than  such 
as  was  made  by  the  mustangs  of  the  Coman- 
ches  near  the  building. 

"Avon  ought  to  have  arrived  before  this, 
and  the  boys  would  not  throw  away  a  second 
after  learning  the  truth  from  him.  He  may 
have  been  hindered,  but " 


CHAPTER  XYI. 

CLEVERLY  DONE. 

AT  this  moment  the  Texan  heard  some- 
-LA.  thing. 

The  noise  could  not  have  been  any  more 
distinct  than  that  which  had  apprised  the 
Comanche  of  his  peril  just  in  time  to  save 
himself.  It  was  so  faint,  indeed,  that  it  was 
not  until  he  had  listened  a  few  seconds  longer 
that  he  could  decide  the  precise  point  whence 
it  came. 

It  was  at  the  same  end  of  the  cabin,  but  on 
the  corner  opposite  to  that  where  he  had 
detected  the  warrior.  The  captain,  therefore, 
was  forced  to  peep  over  the  edge  of  the  peak, 
in  order  to  hold  his  gaze  on  the  point.  This 
was  easy  enough,  and,  as  he  stealthily  peered 
through  the  gloom,  he  levelled  his  weapon,  in 
whose  use  he  was  as  skilful  as  that  of  the 
Winchester. 

127 


128       THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

He  had  decided  in  his  mind  the  precise 
point  where  the  head  of  the  Indian  would  rise 
to  view,  and  he  was  resolved  not  to  throw 
away  his  chance  this  time.  The  moment  he 
could  make  sure  of  his  target,  he  would  per- 
forate it  with  several  bullets,  in  order  to  pre- 
vent any  possible  mistake. 

But,  though  the  sound  was  repeated,  the 
object  itself  failed  to  materialize.  It  was 
there,  but  he  could  not  see  it  clearly  enough 
to  risk  a  shot. 

Strange  that,  with  all  the  Texan's  expe- 
rience, this  fact  did  not  lead  him  to  suspect 
the  real  cause  of  the  warrior's  continued 
absence ! 

But  at  the  moment  he  began  speculating,  he 
became  convinced  that  his  enemy  was  moving. 
He  was  there  and  had  betrayed  himself. 

Everyone  knows  the  extreme  difficulty  of 
seeing  an  object  distinctly  when  the  light  is 
poor,  and  we  concentrate  our  gaze  upon  it. 
That  which  is  clear  at  first  grows  dim  and  per- 
haps vanishes  altogether  from  sight 

Something  of  the  kind  is  noticeable  when  we 
try  to  count  the  seven  stars  of  the  Pleiades. 


CLEVERLY   DONE.  129 

It  is  easy  enough  to  fix  upon  six,  but  if  we 
gaze  too  intently,  the  seventh  modestly  with- 
draws from  view. 

This  was  the  case  for  a  minute  or  two  with 
Captain  Shirril.  The  first  glance  at  the  sus- 
picious point  showed  him  the  outlines  of  a 
head,  but  while  gazing  at  it,  he  began  to  doubt 
whether  it  was  there  at  all.  Aware  of  the 
peculiarity  named,  he  turned  his  eyes  toward 
a  spot  several  feet  removed,  and  then  glanced 
back  to  the  original  point. 
L  The  Comanche  was  there  ! 

The  Texan  sighted  his  pistol  as  best  he  could 
in  the  obscurity,  but,  while  doing  so  with  all 
care,  the  target  began  to  grow  dim,  until  he 
was  afraid  that,  if  he  pressed  the  trigger,  a 
miss  would  result,  and  surely  he  could  not 
afford  that. 

"I'll  wait,"  was  his  decision;  "he  can't 
know  that  I'm  on  the  watch,  and  there  will  be 
more  of  him  in  sight  before  long." 

It  was  remarkable  indeed  that  the  sagacious 
captain  still  failed  to  suspect  the  object  of  this 
strange  proceeding. 

There  came  the  moment  when  there  was  no 
9 


130  THE   GKEAT   CATTLE  TKAIL.' 

cause  for  longer  delay.  The  shoulders  were  in 
sight,  and  the  skilful  marksman  was  certain 
of  bringing  the  warrior  down  with  his  first 
bullet. 

But  at  the  moment  of  firing,  he  was  re- 
strained by  a  strange  suspicion,  or  rather  a 
strange  occurrence. 

The  head  of  the  Comanche  made  an  abrupt 
flirt  to  one  side — then  straightened  up,  flopped 
still  more  in  the  other  direction,  and  then 
became  upright  again. 

This  was  not  only  extraordinary,  but  it  was 
something  which  a  genuine  Indian  would 
never  do,  whether  he  belonged  to  the  Co- 
manche or  some  other  tribe. 

"Ah,  ha — that's  your  game,  is  it?"  mut- 
tered the  Texan,  catching  on  to  the  truth. 

The  cunning  red  men  were  making  use  of  a 
dummy  instead  of  one  of  their  own  number, 
and,  astounding  as  the  statement  may  seem, 
this  dummy  was  the  very  warrior  that  had 
fallen  by  the  shot  of  Oscar  Gleeson. 

Instead  of  trusting  the  success  of  their 
scheme  to  an  image  made  by  mounting  a 
blanket  over  the  end  of  a  stick,  and  which 


CLEVERLY   DONE.  131 

might  well  deceive  where  there  was  so  little 
light,  they  had  picked  up  the  inanimate  body, 
lifted  it  upon  the  back  of  one  of  their  mus- 
tangs, and  slowly  elevated  it  above  the  eaves, 
imitating  the  natural  action  as  closely  as  they 
could. 

However,  they  ought  to  have  practiced  the 
trick  before  risking  so  much  on  its  success. 
Everything  was  going  right,  until  the  head 
reached  a  point  where  it  was  not  advisable 
to  support  it  further,  since  the  hands  thus 
employed  were  likely  to  receive  some  of  the 
bullets  they  expected  to  be  fired  after  it. 

The  withdrawal  of  the  support  caused  it  to 
tip  to  one  side,  and  the  too  prompt  effort  to 
retrieve  the  mistake  sent  it  in  the  opposite 
direction.  This  mishap  was  quickly  repaired, 
but  not  until  the  deception  had  become  mani- 
fest -  to  the  watchful  Texan,  who  smiled 
grimly,  without  suspecting  the  deeper  mean- 
ing of  the  performance. 

u  I  don't  think  I  will  throw  away  any  shots 
on  you"  he  said  to  himself;  "for  there  will 
be  plenty  of  other  chances  where  more  good 
may  be  done." 


132      THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

A  thoughtful  man  might  have  concluded 
that  the  Comanches  were  taking  a  good  deal 
of  unnecessary  pains.  Suppose  the  white 
man  did  send  several  bullets  into  the  dummy, 
there  was  no  hope  of  his  exhausting  his  sup- 
ply or  of  the  Comanche  finding  him  wholly 
unprepared. 

They  probably  believed  that,  after  such  a 
discharge  on  his  part,  he  would  not  expect  an 
instant  renewal  of  the  attempt,  and  would, 
therefore,  be  off  his  guard  for  a  few  seconds, 
during  which  they  could  make  their  rush. 

This  was  drawing  it  exceedingly  fine,  and 
the  Texan  did  not  attempt  to  explain  that 
which  must  always  remain  a  partial  mystery. 

"I  wonder  now  whether  that  can  be  a 
little  plan  to  hold  my  attention,  while  they 
try  something  in  another  direction,"  was  his 
next  thought,  which  proved  that  Captain 
Shirril  was  at  last  approaching  the  right  trail. 

The  image,  or  rather  body,  having  been 
raised  far  enough  above  the  eaves  to  show  the 
head  and  shoulders,  remained  as  stationary  as 
if  carved  in  wood.  It  was  unsafe  for  its  pro- 
jectors to  trust  it  further  without  support.  It 


CLEVERLY  DONE.  133 

was  now  ready  to  receive  the  fire  of  the  gentle- 
man, and  the  Comanches  might  well  ask  why 
it  was  he  delayed  opening  business. 

He  kept  it  under  scrutiny  a  few  seconds 
longer,  fearful  that  there  might  be  some 
hidden  design  which  he  did  not  understand ; 
and  then,  in  obedience  to  his  suspicion,  he 
turned  his  head  to  look  over  the  roof  behind 
him. 

At  the  moment  of  doing  so,  he  heard  a 
stealthy  but  rapid  step.  The  first  glance 
showed  him  a  sinewy  warrior,  moving  softly 
across  the  planking  from  the  other  end  of  the 
cabin  and  coming  directly  toward  him. 

The  Comanche  was  in  a  crouching  posture, 
with  his  rifle  in  his  left  hand,  while  his  right 
rested  on  his  hip,  as  if  grasping  the  handle  of 
his  knife. 

Supposing  the  dusky  foe  was  coming  for 
him,  Captain  Shirrill  rose  to  a  half-sitting 
position,  and  held  his  revolver  ready.  He 
meant  to  wait  until  his  enemy  was  so  near 
that  there  could  be  no  possibility  of  missing 
him. 

Before    that    point    was    reached,    the    Co- 


134  THE  GREAT   CATTLE  TRAIL. 

manche  would  have  to  pass  directly  by  the 
open  scuttle.  The  Texan  awaited  his  coming 
with  the  same  coolness  he  had  shown  from  the 
first,  when  to  Ms  inexpressible  amazement  the 
Indian  dropped  directly  through  the  open 
door  and  drew  it  shut  after  him,  with  a 
suddenness  like  that  of  the  snapping  of  a 
knife-blade. 

And  then  it  was  that  Captain  Shirril  read 
the  meaning  of  that  strange  manoauvring  at 
the  corner  of  the  roof,  and  awoke  to  the  fact 
that  he  had  been  completely  outwitted. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

AT   FAULT. 

SHIRRIL  was  never  so  outwitted 
in  all  his  life.  With  never  a  suspicion 
that  the  Comanche,  dashing  over  the  roof,  had 
any  other  purpose  than  to  assail  him,  he  was 
holding  his  revolver  pointed,  reflecting  at  the 
same  time  on  the  blind  folly  of  the  red  man  in 
rushing  to  his  fate,  when  he  dropped  through 
the  scuttle  and  closed  it  after  him. 

With  a  muttered  exclamation  of  chagrin 
the  Texan  leaped  to  his  feet,  reaching  the  spot 
in  a  couple  of  bounds,  and  let  fly  with  two 
chambers  of  his  weapon.  The  bullets  skimmed 
over  the  door,  the  inimitable  dexterity  of  the 
Indian  saving  him  as  by  a  hair's  breadth. 

Thus  the  fellow  had  entered  the  cabin  after 
all,  by  a  piece  of  strategy  as  brilliant  as  it  was 
daring,  and  the  only  man  who  was  a  defender 
of  the  place  found  himself  shut  out  and  a 
prisoner,  as  may  be  said,  on  the  roof. 

135 


136  THE   GREAT   CATTLE  TRAIL. 

Unwilling  to  believe  the  astounding  logic  of 
facts,  the  captain  stooped  down  and  tried  to 
lift  the  door ;  bat  it  had  been  placed  there 
with  the  view  of  being  raised  only  from  below. 
It  was  impossible  to  get  anything  but  the 
slightest  hold  upon  it,  and  when  he  tried  to 
lift  it  upward,  it  could  not  be  moved. 

The  Comanche  was  either  holding  it,  or  had 
fastened  it  in  place  by  means  of  the  iron 
hook. 

Thinking  only  of  the  safety  of  his  wife  and 
servant,  the  Texan  bent  over,  and,  putting  his 
mouth  as  close  to  the  edge  as  he  could, 
shouted : 

"Look  out  down  there,  Edna!  There's  an 
Indian  on  the  upper  floor,  and  I  am  fastened 
on  the  roof." 

Provided  his  wife  heard  the  warning,  this 
particular  Comanche  was  liable,  after  all,  to 
find  that,  in  undertaking  his  contract,  he 
would  be  unable  to  deliver  the  goods.  But,  if 
the  warning  reached  the  ears  of  the  women, 
would  they  comprehend  its  significance  ? 
That  was  the  question  which  must  soon  be 
answered. 


AT  FAULT.  137 

The  meaning  of  the  peculiar  strategy  of  the 
Comanches  was  now  fully  understood  by  the 
victim.  With  a  humiliation  beyond  descrip- 
tion, he  comprehended  how  he  had  fallen  into 
the  trap  that  had  been  set  so  cunningly  for 
his  feet. 

All  this  trifling  at  one  corner  of  the  roof 
was  intended  to  hold  his  attention,  while  one 
of  the  warriors  stealthily  climbed  over  the 
eaves  at  another  portion  and  reached  the  in- 
side by  dropping  through  the  scuttle. 

The  plan,  simple  as  it  might  seem,  had 
worked  to  perfection. 

The  moment  the  captain  comprehended  that 
he  was  shut  out  as  effectually  as  the  miscreant 
was  shut  in,  he  glared  around  in  quest  of 
others  who  might  be  trying  to  work  his  own 
death  by  a  continuation  of  their  cunning. 
Aware,  too,  of  his  exposure  to  their  shots,  he 
quickly  sank  on  his  face,  with  his  head  nigh 
enough  to  the  peak  to  hold  the  entire  surface 
under  his  eye. 

It  was  well  he  did  so  ;  for  from  the  same 
corner  that  the  successful  Indian  had  come, 
he  discerned  a  second  climbing  over  the  ea  res. 


138       THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

He  was  doing  so  with  an  eagerness  that 
showed  he  was  discounting  his  own  chances. 

"  Whether  you  are  bogus  or  not,  here 
goes ! " 

The  Texan  did  not  rely  upon  his  revolver  to 
serve  him  in  the  crisis,  but  hastily  aiming  his 
Winchester,  pulled  the  trigger. 

The  Comanche,  whose  body  was  half  over 
the  roof,  threw  up  his  arms  with  a  wild 
screech  and  disappeared  backward,  as 
abruptly  as  his  companion  had  gone  down 
the  scuttle.  There  could  be  no  doubt  of 
the  success  of  that  shot. 

"I  would  like  to  have  a  few  more  of  you 
try  it,"  muttered  the  defender,  compressing 
his  lips  and  glancing  right  and  left.  His 
blood  was  up  and  he  was  in  a  desperate 
mood. 

But  his  own  situation  was  one  of  extreme 
peril.  The  Comanches  must  be  aware  of  his 
singular  dilemma,  and  were  not  likely  to  leave 
him  undisputed  master  of  the  situation,  at 
least  as  long  as  he  remained  on  the  outside. 

That  this  supposition  was  right  was  proven 
the  next  minute,  when,  from  a  point  several 


AT  FAULT.  139 

rods  distant,  a  gun  was  fired  and  the  bullet 
skipped  over  the  surface  within  a  few  inches 
of  where  he  was  crouching.  A  second  shot 
followed  still  closer,  and  the  captain  crept  a 
little  farther  from  the  scuttle. 

But  for  fear  of  alarming  his  friends  below, 
he  would  have  uttered  a  cry,  as  if  of  pain,  with 
a  view  of  convincing  the  Comanches  that  their 
shots  had  proven  fatal.  Then  they  would  be 
tempted  to  send  more  of  their  number  over 
the  roof,  where  they  would  fall  victims  to 
his  marksmanship. 

It  looked  as  if  the  assailants  were  in  doubt 
on  this  point,  for  after  the  two  shots  they 
ceased  firing,  and  everything  remained  silent 
for  several  minutes. 

Captain  Shirril,  even  in  his  anxiety  for 
himself,  could  not  forget  the  inmates  of  his 
home.  Two  women  and  a  fierce  warrior  were 
inside,  and  matters  were  sure  to  become  lively 
there  before  long. 

In  the  midst  of  this  oppressive  stillness, 
occurred  Avon  Burnet's  adventure  which  has 
been  told  elsewhere.  It  was  impossible  for 
the  captain  to  understand  what  the  confusion 


140  THE   GREAT   CATTLE  TRAIL. 

on  the  prairie  meant,  but  he  saw  that  it  was  a 
diversion  of  some  kind  which,  fortunately  for 
himself,  held  the  attention  of  his  enemies  for 
a  while  longer. 

He  felt  a  vague  suspicion  that  the  Indian  in 
the  room  below  would  try  to  get  a  shot  at  him 
through  the  scuttle  door.  He  could  raise  it 
for  an  inch  or  more,  and,  provided  the  white 
man  was  in  his  line  of  range,  fire  with  quick 
and  unerring  accuracy.  It  is  singular  that  he 
did  not  do  this  in  the  first  place,  after  reach- 
ing the  roof,  and  before  the  Texan  discovered 
his  presence  so  near  him. 

Lying  extended  as  flat  as  before,  Captain 
Shirril  placed  his  ear  close  to  the  door  and 
listened. 

Within  the  first  minute  he  caught  a  sound, 
but  it  was  so  faint  and  indefinite  that  he  could 
not  tell  -what  it  meant.  It  might  have  been 
caused  by  someone  moving  about  in  the 
room  directly  below,  but  he  was  inclined  to 
believe  that  the  Comanche  was  still  near  the 
scuttle  and  was  trying  to  get  his  range. 

All  at  once  the  heart  of  the  Texan  gave  a 
start.  He  was  sure  the  door  was  pushed 


AT  FAULT.  141 

upward  the  slightest  possible  distance.  It 
looked  as  if  the  Comanche  was  endeavoring  to 
do  the  very  thing  suspected — that  is,  he  was 
seeking  to  gain  sight  of  the  white  man  in 
order  to  give  him  a  stealthy  shot. 

"If  he  will  but  raise  that  door  a  single 
inch,"  was  the  exultant  thought  of  the  cap- 
tain, "I  will  get  my  fingers  under  the  edge 
and  yank  it  back  in  spite  of  all  he  can  do, 
and  just  about  that  time  the  band  will  begin 
to  play." 

But  would  the  Indian  be  rash  enough  to  do 
this  ?  The  first  glimpse  through  the  slightest 
crevice  would  tell  him  that  his  intended  vic- 
tim had  shifted  his  position.  He  would  be 
shrewd  enough  to  suspect  its  meaning,  and 
would  take  care  that  he  did  not  throw  away 
the  golden  opportunity  he  had  so  brilliantly 
won. 

Ah,  if  his  wife  and  Dinah  could  but  learn 
the  exact  truth  !  They  would  quickly  prove 
potent  factors  in  the  scheme.  Their  familiar- 
ity with  the  house  would  enable  them  to 
eliminate  that  wretch  who  just  then  seemed 
to  be  master  of  the  situation. 


142  THE  GEEAT   CATTLE  TRAIL. 

Yes ;  the  door  moved  again.  The  Indian 
must  be  beneath,  and  was  striving  to  do  some- 
thing with  the  covering,  which  at  present 
shielded  him  from  the  vengeance  of  the  white 
man  whom  he  had  foiled. 

The  latter  silently  extended  his  hand  to  the 
edge  of  the  door,  hoping  that  the  purchase 
for  which  he  was  waiting  was  within  reach. 
He  was  disappointed.  If  the  structure  had 
been  moved,  it  was  to  such  a  slight  extent  as 
to  afford  no  advantage. 

He  held  his  hand  in  the  same  position, 
intent  on  seizing  the  chance  the  instant  it  pre- 
sented itself,  but  the  Indian  was  wonderfully 
cunning.  It  would  seem  that  having  intro- 
duced himself  into  the  ranchman's  home,  he 
would  have  been  content  to  follow  the  pur- 
pose that  had  taken  him  thither,  without 
giving  more  attention  to  the  white  man,  whom 
he  had  certainly  spared  for  the  time,  when  he 
was  in  his  power.  The  captain  could  not 
understand  the  logic  which  appeared  to  be 
controlling  this  warrior  from  the  moment  he 
climbed  over  the  edge  of  the  roof. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

AN  UNEXPECTED  QUERY. 

AS  long  as  Captain  Shirril  stayed  near  the 
-£\_  scuttle,  he  could  not  command  a  view 
of  the  entire  roof  of  his  cabin.  His  interest  in 
what  was  going  on  below  made  him  anxious 
to  do  this,  but  he  was  too  alive  to  his  own 
danger  to  remain  motionless  for  more  than  a 
few  minutes  at  a  time. 

The  indistinct  rustling  that  had  awakened 
his  hope  soon  ceased,  and  he  was  compelled  to 
believe  the  Comanche  had  given  up  his  inten- 
tion of  trying  to  gain  a  stealthy  shot  at  him 
and  was  now  devoting  himself  to  the  inmates 
of  the  dwelling. 

How  he  longed  to  descend  through  the 
scuttle  and  take  part  in  the  stirring  events 
that  must  soon  be  under  way  there !  What 
short  work  he  would  make  of  the  wretch  who 
had  dared  to  assume  such  a  risk  ! 

143 


144  THE  GREAT   CATTLE  TRAIL. 

But  it  was  useless  to  regret  his  own  short- 
sightedness, now  that  it  rendered  him  power- 
less to  strike  a  blow  for  his  friends.  He  crept 
to  the  peak  of  the  roof,  and  scrutinized  every 
portion  thus  brought  into  his  field  of  vision. 
Not  the  slightest  sound  fell  upon  his  ear  that 
could  indicate  danger,  nor  could  he  discern 
anything  of  his  enemies. 

The  wind  was  still  blowing  fitfully,  and  he 
heard  the  familiar  rustle  of  the  mesquite  bush, 
with  now  and  then  a  signal  passing  between 
the  Comanches.  He  listened  in  vain  for  the 
noise  made  by  the  hoofs  of  their  mustangs. 
They  seemed  to  have  ceased  their  aimless 
galloping  back  and  forth,  and  were  probably 
plotting  some  new  form  of  mischief. 

Suddenly  the  rattle  of  a  horse's  feet  struck 
him.  It  broke  upon  his  hearing  for  an 
instant,  and  then  ceased  as  abruptly  as  it  had 
made  itself  manifest. 

It  was  as  if  a  steed  were  galloping  over  the 
soft  earth,  and,  reaching  a  small  bridge  of 
planks,  dashed  over  them  with  two  or  three 
bounds,  his  hoofs  immediately  becoming  in- 
audible in  the  yielding  ground  beyond. 


AN   UNEXPECTED  QUEEY.  145 

That  which  might  have  puzzled  a  listener 
was  plain  to  the  Texan,  who  had  spent  many 
years  on  the  plains  of  the  Southwest.  He 
knew  that  what  might  be  called  a  peculiar 
eddy  in  the  fitful  wind  had  brought  the  sound 
to  him.  A  sudden  change  of  direction— ended 
as  soon  as  it  began — whirled  the  noise  as 
straight  across  the  intervening  space  as  if  it 
had  been  fired  by  an  arrow. 

The  sound  was  similar  to  that  which  he 
had  noticed  many  times  that  evening,  but  the 
impression  came  to  him  that  it  possessed  a 
significance  which  belonged  to  none  of  the 
others.  It  was  a  single  horse,  and  he  was 
going  at  a  moderate  speed,  which,  however, 
was  the  case  with  most  of  those  he  had  heard. 

All  at  once  the  sound  broke  upon  his  ear 
again,  but  this  time  it  was  accompanied  by 
the  noise  of  many  other  hoofs. 

"  They  are  cattle,"  was  his  conclusion; 
"  a  part  of  the  herd  has  been  stampeded,  and 
one  of  the  men  is  trying  to  round  them  up :  it 
was  his  mustang  that  I  heard— ah !  there  it 
goes  again!" 

It  was  the  crack  of  a  rifle  and  the  screech 
10 


146  THE  GEEAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

of  a  mortally  struck  person  that  startled  him 
this  time. 

"  I  believe  that  was  a  Comanche  who  has 
gone  down  before  the  rifle  of  one  of  our  men." 

As  the  reader  is  aware,  the  Texan  was 
correct  in  every  particular,  for  it  was  the 
report  of  Gleeson's  Winchester,  which  ended 
the  career  of  the  warrior  pressing  Avon  Bur- 
net  so  hard,  that  reached  the  captain  as  he  lay 
on  the  roof  of  his  own  dwelling. 

The  whimsical  nature  of  the  wind,  that  had 
been  blowing  all  the  night,  excluded  further 
sounds.  The  stillness  that  succeeded  seemed 
so  unnatural  in  its  way  that  it  might  have 
alarmed  a  more  superstitious  person.  Once 
the  faintest  possible  rumbling  of  the  cattle's 
hoofs  was  detected,  but  it  quickly  subsided. 
and  nothing  more  of  the  kind  was  noticeable. 

It  was  clear  that  the  Comanches  in  the  im- 
mediate vicinity  of  the  cabin  must  have  noted 
all  that  interested  the  Texan.  Whatever  the 
issue  of  the  remarkable  meeting  on  the 
prairie,  there  could  be  no  doubt  that  one  of 
the  red  men  had  been  laid  low.  Another  had 
been  shot  by  the  captain  a  short  time  before, 


AN   UNEXPECTED   QUERY.  147 

not  to  mention  the  other  one  or  two  that  he 
believed  had  fallen. 

Thus  far,  no  one  of  the  inmates  had  been 
harmed,  unless  perchance  his  nephew  was 
overtaken  by  disaster.  Consequently,  the 
game  the  Comanches  were  playing,  though 
they  did  their  part  with  rare  skill,  was  a 
losing  one  up  to  this  point. 

As  the  minutes  passed,  the  Texan  found 
himself  more  hopeful  than  he  had  been 
through  the  entire  evening.  He  was  strong  in 
the  belief  that  Avon  had  succeeded  in  reach- 
ing the  camp  of  the  cattlemen,  and  that  the 
latter  would  soon  appear  on  the  scene  with  an 
emphasis  that  would  scatter  his  assailants 
like  so  much  chaff. 

The  only  vulnerable  point  for  fire  was  on 
the  roof,  but  the  designs  of  the  Indians  had 
been  defeated  thus  far,  and  he  believed  they 
could  be  stood  off  indefinitely,  at  least  until 
the  arrival  of  the  cowboys,  who  would  then 
take  charge  of  business. 

The  two  matters  that  gave  him  anxiety 
were  the  presence  of  the  warrior  below  in  the 
cabin,  and  the  probability  of  himself  being 


148  THE  GEEAT   CATTLE   TRAIL. 

struck  by  some  of  the  bullets  that  he  ex- 
pected to  come  scurrying  over  the  planking 
every  minute. 

The  two  shots  that  had  been  fired  came 
alarmingly  near,  and  the  next  were  likely  to 
come  still  nearer. 

But  immunity  from  harm  gives  one  confi- 
dence, and  only  a  few  more  minutes  passed 
when,  instead  of  contenting  himself  with  peer- 
ing about  him,  the  captain  began  stealthily 
creeping  toward  the  part  of  the  eaves  where 
the  last  Indian  had  appeared  and  disappeared 
so  suddenly. 

Mindful  of  the  risk  of  the  action,  he  paused 
when  close  to  the  edge,  and  waited  several 
minutes  before  venturing  to  peep  over.  The 
stillness  was  as  if  every  living  person  were  a 
hundred  miles  away.  This,  however,  as  he 
well  knew,  might  be  the  case  with  a  score  of 
Indians  grouped  directly  beneath. 

But  having  gone  thus  far,  he  did  not  mean 
to  return  to  his  post  without  accomplishing 
something.  With  the  greatest  possible  cau- 
tion, he  raised  his  head  just  far  enough  to 
look  ever.  He  held  it  in  this  position  only 


AN   UNEXPECTED   QUERY.  149 

a  second  or  two,  for,  if  any  of  his  enemies 
were  on  the  alert,  they  would  be  sure  to 
observe  him. 

Nothing  greeted  his  vision,  beyond  that 
which  he  had  seen  times  without  number.  He 
did  not  catch  the  outlines  of  a  single  person 
or  mustang,  though  convinced  they  were  near 
at  hand. 

Had  there  been  any  doubt  on  this  point,  it 
would  have  been  dissipated  by  a  repetition  of 
the  signals  that  seemed  almost  continually 
passing  between  the  besieging  Comanches. 

Captain  Shirril  noticed  that  the  sounds 
came  from  the  direction  of  the  mesquite  bush, 
as  though  most  of  them  had  gathered  there 
apparently  for  consultation,  and  were  calling 
in  the  other  members  of  their  party. 

"  If  that  is  so,  they  can't  do  us  much  harm," 
was  his  conclusion,  "  but  they  are  not  likely  to 
stay  there.  I  suppose  they  have  gathered  in 
Avon  and  my  horses  long  ago,  and  we  shall 
have  to  ride  other  animals  on  the  tramp  to 
Kansas." 

On  the  whole,  the  result  of  his  survey  was 
satisfactory ;  whatever  mischief  the  Coman- 


150  THE   GREAT   CATTLE  TRAIL. 

ches  were  plotting,  there  was  no  immediate 
danger.  Minutes  were  precious,  but  they  were 
more  valuable  to  the  defenders  than  to  the  as- 
sailants. The  cattlemen  must  arrive  soon,  and 
when  they  did  so  the  siege  would  be  over. 

The  reconnoissance,  if  such  it  may  be 
termed,  lasted  but  a  few  minutes,  when  the 
captain  started  on  his  cautious  return  to  the 
scuttle,  in  the  hope  that  something  in  the  way 
of  information  awaited  him  there. 

To  his  amazement,  he  was  still  within  several 
yards,  when  he  perceived  that  it  was  open. 

The  door  was  raised  fully  six  inches,  the 
opening  being  toward  him,  so  that  the  Co- 
manche  had  him  at  his  mercy.  It  looked  in- 
deed to  the  Texan  as  if  his  enemy  had  got  the 
drop  on  him,  and  at  last  he  was  at  his  mercy. 

The  captain  whipped  out  his  revolver,  but 
before  he  could  fire  a  familiar  voice  called  out 
in  a  husky  undertone : 

"  Am  dat  you,  cap  tin'  ?    And  am  you  well  ? " 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

DOWN  THE  LADDER. 

rTlHE  colored  servant  Dinah  never  knew  how 
-L  near  she  came  to  being  shot  by  her  own 
master.  Had  she  delayed  speaking  for  a 
second,  he  would  have  discharged  two  more 
chambers  of  his  revolver,  and  the  distance  was 
so  slight,  and  her  head  was  in  such  position, 
that  there  could  have  been  no  miss, 

"  Good  Heavens!"  gasped  the  captain,  "I 
never  dreamed  that  was  you,  Dinah." 

uBut  I  knowed  it  war  you.  How  is  you 
gettin'  'long?" 

"I'm  all  right,  but  where  is  your  mis- 
tress?" 

"Downsta'rs  tending  to  tings." 

"But — but  do  you  know  there's  an  Indian 
in  the  house?" 

"I  reckons  so  ;  we  didn't  know  it  at  fust, 
but  we  found  it  out  putty  soon  after  •  he 
arrove  ;  why  didn't  you  told  us  ?  " 

151 


\ 

152  THE  GEEAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

"I  tried  to  do  so,  but  was  afraid  you 
wouldn't  hear  my  voice." 

"We  lieerd  you  say  somefin,  but  couldn't 
quite  make  out  what  it  was." 

"But  what  of  the  Indian?"  asked  the 
captain,  who  was  now  at  the  scuttle  with 
his  hand  on  the  door. 

"He  am  all  right;  and  if  you  don't 
t'ink  so,  jes'  come  down  and  see  for  you'- 
self." 

Dinah  stepped  out  of  the  way,  and  her 
master  lost  no  time  in  descending  through  the 
opening  into  the  dark  room  below. 

"  Fasten  the  door,  for  there  may  be  more  of 
them  trying  to  enter." 

"I  doesn't  t'ink  so,"  was  the  confident 
reply. 

Nevertheless,  Dinah  reached  up  and  fast- 
ened the  hook  in  place,  making  it  as  secure  as 
before. 

"Is  your  mistress  safe?"  asked  Captain 
Shirril,  the  moment  he  was  within  the  apart- 
ment. 

"Didn't  I  jes'  tole  you  she  was?  Does 
you  t'ink  I  would  try  to  deceibe  you?" 


DOWN  THE  LADDER.  153 

"But  tell  me  how  it  is  ;  this  strikes  me  as 
the  strangest  part  of  the  whole  business." 

Standing  thus,  in  the  stillness  and  gloom  of 
the  upper  room,  the  servant  related  in  her 
characteristic  way  the  extraordinary  expe- 
rience of  herself  and  mistress  with  the  dusky 
intruder. 

As  she  had  said,  the  warning  which  the 
captain  shouted  from  the  roof  was  heard 
by  them,  but  the  words  were  not  under- 
stood. 

Mrs.  Shirril,  however,  was  keen-witted 
enough  to  suspect  the  truth.  The  muffled 
tones  showed  that  her  husband  was  on  the 
roof,  while  the  noise  of  the  body  dropping 
upon  the  chair  proved  that  someone  had 
entered  by  that  means.  That  being  the  case, 
the  stranger  of  necessity  must  be  a  foe, 
against  whose  evil  intentions  they  must  pre- 
pare themselves  without  delay. 

"  One  of  the  Indians  has  dropped  through 
the  scuttle,"  said  the  startled  lady. 

"Anoder  ob  dem  warmints  has  corned  into 
my  room,  eh?"  muttered  the  angered  ser- 
vant ;  "  I'll  sarve  him  wuss  dan  the  oder  one." 


154  THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

"  You  will  not  find  the  task  so  easy;  keep 
at  my  side,  make  no  noise,  and  don't  stir  till 
I  tell  you." 

By  this  time,  the  embers  on  the  hearth 
were  so  low  that  they  gave  out  only  a  faint 
illumination,  which  extended  but  a  foot  or 
two  into  the  room.  The  women  had  kept 
their  places  near  the  door,  where,  as  will  be 
remembered,  they  noticed  a  pressure,  as  if 
someone  was  trying  to  shove  it  open. 

Light-footed  as  was  the  Comanche,  his 
weight  was  too  great,  and  his  descent  too 
sudden,  for  him  to  keep  the  knowledge  from 
the  women  below-stairs.  They  stepped  softly 
away  from  the  door,  and  into  the  denser 
gloom,  where  they  were  unable  to  see  each 
other,  although  their  persons  touched.  In 
this  attitude,  they  could  do  nothing  for  a  time 
but  listen  with  rapidly  beating  hearts. 

The  dusky  intruder  dropped  so  squarely  on 
the  chair  that  it  did  not  overturn.  He  kept 
his  place,  instantly  securing  the  scuttle 
against  the  entrance  of  the  white  man,  whom 
he  had  baffled  with  such  cleverness.  Prob- 
ably he  had  some  idea  of  taking  a  shot  at 


DOWN   THE   LADDEE.  155 

him,  but  the  little  manoeuvring  in  which  he 
indulged  told  him  the  danger  was  too  great, 
and  he  gave  over  the  purpose. 

The  stillness  in  the  room  was  so  profound 
that  the  women  plainly  heard  his  moccasins 
touch  the  floor,  when  he  stepped  from  the 
chair.  Then  he  began  gliding  softly  about 
the  apartment,  like  a  burglar  who  is  obliged 
to  feel  every  inch  of  his  way  with  hands  and 
feet. 

Great  as  was  his  care,  he  had  not  continued 
this  long,  when  he  struck  the  chair  and  over- 
turned it. 

"De  willian  !  "  muttered  Dinah,  "and  dat's 
in  my  abpartment  too " 

"  Sh  !  "  whispered  her  mistress,  touching 
her  arm,  "he  can't  do  any  harm,  and  he 
must  not  hear  us." 

Had  Mrs.  Shirril  given  permission,  the  ser- 
vant would  have  hurried  up  the  ladder  and 
taken  the  fellow  to  task,  without  a  moment's 
delay  or  hesitation. 

But  the  Comanche  was  better  prepared  for 
his  work  than  they  suspected.  They  plainly 
heard  him  scratch  a  match  on  the  wall  of 


156  THE  GREAT   CATTLE  TRAIL. 

the  room,  and  the  next  moment  the  faintest 
possible  glow  showed  through  the  gloom, 
above  the  open  door  at  the  head  of  the  ladder. 
The  redskin  was  taking  the  only  effectual 
means  at  his  command  to  learn  his  bearings. 

With  the  tiny  light. still  burning,  he  passed 
quickly  from  one  room  to  another,  his  loca- 
tion being  easily  told  by  the  listeners  below. 
It  took  him  less  than  a  minute  to  gain  the 
knowledge  he  wished,  when  the  match  burned 
out  and  was  flung  aside. 

"  I  wonder  wheder  he'll  set  fiah " 

A  sharp  pinch  on  Dinah's  arm  warned  her 
that  she  was  displeasing  her  mistress,  and  she 
closed  her  mouth. 

The  Comanche  was  too  wise  to  attempt  to 
go  down  the  ladder  with  a  burning  match  in 
his  hand.  Had  he  done  so,  he  would  have 
committed  the  fatal  error  of  the  citizen  who 
awakes  in  the  night  and 'sets  out  with  lighted 
lamp  to  hunt  for  a  burglar :  all  the  advantage 
is  on  the  side  of  the  law-breaker. 

But  the  Indian  had  seen  the  ladder  leading 
from  the  second  story  to  the  lower  floor,  and 
the  women  were  sure  he  would  pay  them  a 


DOWN   THE   LADDER.  157 

visit.  Indeed,  his  errand  would  be  futile  un- 
less he  did  so,  for  it  was  not  to  be  supposed 
that  he  had  come  into  the  cabin  through 
simple  curiosity. 

Mrs.  Shirril  had  no  fear  of  his  trying  to 
burn  the  structure,  for,  if  he  did  so,  his  own 
situation  would  be  as  hopeless  as  theirs.  The 
sounds  of  firing  and  the  noise  on  the  roof, 
which  soon  reached  her  ears,  caused  great  un- 
easiness for  her  husband,  but,  like  a  pioneer's 
wife,  she  gave  her  whole  attention  to  the  peril 
that  confronted  her. 

Suddenly  the  servant  touched  her  arm. 
She  did  not  speak,  but  her  mistress  knew  the 
meaning  of  the  act.  The  Comanche  had 
placed  his  foot  on  the  upper  round  of  the 
ladder  and  was  about  to  descend  to  the  lower 
apartments,  where  they  were  awaiting  him. 

"  Leave  him  to  me,"  whispered  Mrs.  Shirril; 
"  don't  stir  or  do  anything." 

The  cunning  warrior  knew  the  women  were 
below,  and  he  knew,  too,  that  unless  he  used 
extreme  caution,  he  would  find  himself  in  a 
veritable  hornet's  nest.  The  care  with  which 
he  placed  his  moccasins  on  the  rounds,  and 


158       THE  GKEAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

gradually  came  down,  proved  this,  but  the 
hearing  of  the  women  was  attuned  to  so  fine 
an  edge  that  they  traced  his  descent  step  by 
step  until  he  stood  on  the  lower  floor. 

Having  arrived  there,  he  paused  for  a 
minute  or  two,  as  if  in  doubt  what  next  to  do. 
Evidently  he  was  listening  in  the  hope  that 
the  women  would  betray  their  presence  by 
some  movement,  but  in  this  he  was  mistaken. 

During  those  brief  moments,  Mrs.  Shirril 
was  on  the  point,  more  than  once,  of  bringing 
her  rifle  to  her  shoulder  and  shooting  down 
the  wretch  who  was  seeking  their  lives  ;  but 
accustomed  as  she  was  to  the  rough  experi- 
ence of  the  frontier,  she  could  not  nerve  her- 
self to  the  point  of  doing  so.  She  knew  the 
precise  spot  where  he  was  standing,  and,  at 
the  first  direct  approach,  she  would  shoot  him 
as  if  he  was  a  rabid  dog.  But  so  long  as  he 
was  motionless,  she  refrained. 

What  the  Comanche  would  have  done  at  the 
end  of  a  few  minutes  it  is  impossible  to  say, 
had  not  an  interruption,  as  surprising  as  it 
was  unexpected  by  all  parties,  taken  place. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

"THE  BOYS  HAVE  ARRIVED  !" 


embers  on  the  hearth  had  smouldered 
-J-  so  low  that  they  were  mere  points  of 
light  that  served  to  make  the  gloom  deeper 
and  more  expressive.  But  suddenly  a  half- 
burned  stick  fell  apart,  and  a  little  twist  of 
flame  filled  almost  the  entire  room  with 
light. 

By  its  illumination  the  Indian  was  seen 
standing  at  the  foot  of  the  ladder,  his  rifle 
grasped  in  his  left  hand,  his  right  at  his  hip, 
while  his  body  was  crouching  in  the  attitude 
of  intense  attention,  and  as  if  he  were  on  the 
point  of  making  a  leap  forward. 

He  happened  to  be  looking  toward  the  fire- 
place ;  but,  fortunately  for  the  women,  both 
were  gazing  straight  at  him.  He  glanced  to 
the  right  and  left,  and,  catching  sight  of  the 
figures  behind  him,  wheeled  like  a  panther, 


159 


160  THE  GREAT   CATTLE   TRAIL. 

emitting  a  hiss  of  exultation  at  the  knowledge 
that  he  had  found  his  victims  at  last. 

But  the  first  dart  of  his  serpent-like  eyes 
showed  the  white  woman,  as  immovable  as  a 
statue,  with  her  rifle  levelled  at  his  chest  and 
her  delicate  forefinger  on  the  trigger. 

Mrs.  Shirril  had  the  drop  on  him  ! 

"  If  you  move,  I  will  shoot  you  dead  !  "  she 
said  in  a  low  voice,  in  which  there  was  not  the 
first  tremor. 

Possibly  the  Comanche  did  not  understand 
the  English  tongue,  but  he  could  not  mistake 
her  meaning.  He  knew  that  on  the  first 
motion  to  raise  his  rifle,  draw  his  knife,  or 
take  one  step  toward  the  couple,  he  would  be 
slain  where  he  stood.  He,  therefore,  re- 
mained as  motionless  as  she  who  held  him 
at  her  mercy. 

The  tiny  twist  of  flame  on  the  hearth,  that 
had  served  our  friends  so  well,  would  soon 
burn  itself  out ;  it  was  already  flickering,  and, 
if  left  alone,  the  room  would  soon  be  in  dark- 
ness again,  and  the  situation  would  undergo  a 
radical  change. 

"Dinah,"  said  her  mistress,  without  chang- 


6 'THE  BOYS  HAVE  ARRIVED!"          161 

ing  her  position,  or  raising  her  voice,  "keep 
the  fire  burning  !  " 

"Yes'm,  I  will,"  she  replied,  shuffling  hur- 
riedly across  the  floor  to  the  hearth,  where  she 
stooped  down.  She  scorned  to  turn  out  of 
the  way  of  the  prisoner,  lest  he  should  fancy 
he  was  held  in  fear.  She  passed  him  almost 
close  enough  to  touch,  and  showed  her  con- 
tempt by  shaking  her  fist  at  him. 

"Oh,  you  willian  !  I'd  like  to  wring  your 
neck  for  comin'  into  my  dispartment  without 
axin'  permission." 

A  strange  flicker  shot  from  the  eyes  of  the 
warrior  as  they  followed  her  for  a  moment, 
but  he  neither  moved  nor  spoke,  his  gaze 
reverting  again  to  his  conqueror. 

Under  the  deft  manipulation  of  Dinah's 
fingers,  the  flames  shot  up  with  more  vigor 
than  before.  Then,  recalling  the  risk  that  this 
involved,  Mrs.  Shirril  told  her  to  come  to 
her  side,  where  she  would  be  out  of  range  of 
any  of  their  enemies  who  might  be  near  the 
windows. 

"That  will  burn  fora  considerable  time," 
added  the  lady,  referring  to  the  fire  the  ser- 
ll 


162  THE  GREAT   CATTLE  TRAIL. 

vant  had  renewed,  "so,  if  you  please,  you 
may  go  to  the  scuttle  and  see  how  the  captain 
is  getting  along." 

"  Wouldn't  you  like  to  do  that,  missis?" 
asked  Dinah. 

"  But  I  must  watch  this  person." 

"I'lldodat." 

Her  mistress,  however,  read  her  meaning 
in  her  tones  and  manner.  She  was  eager  to 
get  a  chance  at  the  fellow,  and,  if  she  did, 
even  for  only  a  few  seconds,  it  would  go  hard 
with  him. 

"No;  I  will  attend  to  him  ;  do  as  I  told 
you." 

There  was  no  questioning  the  decision  of  the 
little  lady,  and  Dinah,  with  another  threaten- 
ing gesture  at  the  painted  face  of  the  savage, 
went  by  him  and  began  climbing  the  ladder. 

"  Neber  mind,"  she  said  to  herself,  though 
her  mistress  overheard  the  words,  "when  I 
come  downstairs  again,  I'll  cotch  one  ob  my 
feet  and  tumble  onto  you,  and  you'll  be 
squashed  worser  dan  if  de  house  tumbled  ober 
your  head." 

The  captive  seemed  to  understand  what  all 


"THE  BOYS  HAVE  ARRIVED!"          163 

this  meant.  He  had  escaped  thus  far,  but  he 
might  well  fear  the  consequences,  after  the 
man  aloft  put  in  an  appearance. 

Dinah  had  hardly  passed  out  of  sight  when 
the  Comanche  said  in  a  low  voice  : 

"  Me  go — won't  hurt." 

Although  the  intonation  of  the  words  was 
wrong,  the  woman  knew  from  the  glance  at 
the  door,  which  accompanied  them,  that  he 
meant  to  ask  permission  to  depart. 

"  Yes,  you  can  go,"  was  the  astonishing 
answer,  and  she  nodded  her  head. 

The  Indian  moved  hesitatingly  at  first,  in 
the  direction  of  the  entrance,  keeping  his 
gleaming  eyes  on  the  woman,  as  if  doubtful 
whether  she  understood  him. 

"  Go  on,  be  quick,"  she  added  reassuringly, 
though  she  took  care  that  the  old-fashioned 
weapon  was  not  lowered  or  turned  aside. 

The  voices  of  the  servant  and  her  master 
were  plainly  heard  above,  and  the  Comanche 
saw  it  was  no  time  for  tarrying.  A  couple 
more  steps  took  him  to  the  door,  and,  with 
little  effort,  he  lifted  the  huge  bolt  from  its 
place,  pulled  open  the  structure,  and  whisked 


164  ^     THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

out  in  the  darkness,  without  so  much  as  a 
"  good-night "  or  " thank  you." 

The  instant  he  vanished,  Mrs.  Shirril  set 
down  her  gun,  darted  forward,  and  slipped 
back  the  bolt,  making  the  door  as  secure  as 
before. 

It  was  a  strange  act  on  her  part  thus 
releasing  the  red  miscreant  who  was  seeking 
her  life,  but,  after  all,  it  was  characteristic  of 
her  sex. 

She  had  little  more  than  time  to  set  things 
to  rights,  as  may  be  said,  when  she  stepped 
back  and  away  from  the  windows,  and  sat 
down  in  the  nearest  chair.  A  slight  reaction 
came  over  her ;  she  felt  weak,  though  she 
knew  it  would  not  amount  to  anything :  she 
had  been  through  too  many  perils  before. 

The  feet  and  lower  limbs  of  Captain  Shirril 
soon  appeared  on  the  rounds  of  the  ladder, 
with  Dinah  close  behind  him.  In  her  eager- 
ness to  get  at  the  Indian,  she  stooped  forward, 
so  that  her  big  dusky  face  showed  almost  over 
his  shoulders.  She  was  just  getting  ready  to 
fall  on  the  warrior,  when  she  observed  that  he 
was  gone. 


"THE  BOYS  HAVE  ARRIVED!"          165 

uWhar's  dat  willian  ? "  she  demanded, 
glancing  round  the  dimly  lit  room. 

"  Yes,  Edna,  I  heard  you  had  a  guest  down 
here." 

"  He  asked  me  to  let  him  go,  and  I  thought 
it  was  the  best  way  to  get  rid  of  him,"  replied 
the  wife  with  a  smile,  for  her  strength  was 
returning  to  her. 

"Humph!"  snorted  the  disgusted  Dinah, 
as  one  of  her  feet  came  down  on  the  floor  with 
a  bang,  "I's  got  my  'pinion  of  sich  foolish- 
ness as  dat." 

"Let  me  hear  how  it  was,  Edna,"  said  the 
husband,  laughing  in  spite  of  himself. 

She  quickly  gave  the  particulars,  and  he  in 
turn  told  what  he  had  passed  through  during 
his  sojourn  on  the  roof. 

"The  fellow  deserved  something,  but,  after 
all,  I  find  no  fault  with  your  action.  Much  as 
I  am  exasperated  against  these  Comanches 
for  their  attack,  I  couldn't  help  feeling  an 
admiration  for  this  fellow,  who  got  the  better 
of  me  in  the  neatest  style  I  ever  had  it  done  in 
all  my  life." 

"Is  it  not  time  we  heard  something  from 


166       THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TKAIL. 

Avon?"  asked  the  wife;  "he  certainly  has 
been  gone  more  than  an  hour " 

"Hark!" 

The  shouts,  whoops,  and  the  reports  of  guns 
and  pistols  suddenly  broke  the  stillness  on  the 
outside. 

Most  of  the  voices  bore  a  familiar  sound, 
and  there  were  a  dash  and  vim  about  the 
whole  business  which  left  no  doubt  of  its 
meaning. 

In  the  firelight  of  the  room,  husband  and 
wife  looked  in  each  other's  glowing  faces, 
and  instinctively  the  two  uttered  the  same 
expression  : 

"  The  boys  have  arrived  1 " 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

THROUGH  THE  BUSH. 

OSCAR,  GLEESON  the  cowboy,  who  ap- 
peared at  such  a  timely  juncture  for  Avon 
Burnet,  when  he  was  hard  pressed  by  his  Co- 
manche  pursuer,  took  the  young  man  on  his 
mustang  behind  him,  as  the  reader  will  recall, 
and  set  out  for  the  camp,  several  miles  distant. 

Despite  the  fears  of  the  youth  for  the 
safety  of  his  friends  in  the  cabin,  the  veteran 
ranchman  was  more  concerned  for  the  fifty- 
odd  cattle  that  had  chosen  to  stampede  them- 
selves, and  were  at  that  moment  dashing  over 
the  prairie  for  no  one  could  tell  where. 

But  inasmuch  as  the  captain  had  sent  for 
help,  it  must  be  given,  regardless  of  other 
matters,  and  the  easy  swing  of  the  mustang 
continued  until  the  two  arrived  at  the  fire  that 
had  been  kindled  in  a  small  valley,  where  the 
provision  wagon  was  stationed  with  the  other 

167 


'168       THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

animals  tethered  near,  ready  for  the  start  that 
was  set  for  an  early  hour  the  next  morning. 

Most  of  the  men  had  stretched  themselves 
out  in  the  wagon  to  sleep,  for  a  hard  and 
arduous  campaign  was  before  them,  in  which 
they  were  likely  to  be  compelled  to  keep 
their  horses  for  fifteen  or  twenty  hours  at  a 
stretch,  changing  them  when  necessary  and 
catching  snatches  of  slumber  as  chance 
presented. 

But  the  unaccountable  stampede  of  a  por- 
tion of  the  herd  had  roused  all,  and,  at  the 
moment  "  Ballyhoo,"  as  he  was  known  to  his 
friends,  reined  up,  preparations  were  under 
way  for  a  general  start  after  the  absent  ones. 

"  Where's  Madstone  and  Shackaye? "  asked 
Gleeson,  looking  down  in  the  faces  of  the 
group,  dimly  shown  in  the  firelight,  and 
noticing  that  two  of  their  number  were 
missing. 

"They  started  out  for  the  cattle  a  little 
while  ago,"  replied  one  of  the  ranchmen, 
"  thinking  as  how  you  might  not  be  able  to 
manage  them." 

"I'd  fetched  'em  back  all  right,"  replied 


THROUGH  THE  BUSH.  169 

Gleeson,  "if  it  hadn't  been  for  some  other 
business  that  turned  up." 

" What's  that?" 

"  The  reds  are  down  at  the  cabin  raising 
the  mischief  ;  a  lot  of  'em  got  after  Baby 
here,  and  I  had  to  drop  one,  and  then  take 
him  on  my  hoss  and  bring  him  along  with 
me." 

"  What  was  he  doing  out  at  night  on 
foot?"  was  the  natural  query  of  another  of 
the  cowboys. 

"  Wai,  he  was  putting  in  the  tallest  kind  of 
running,  when  I  set  eyes  on  him  ;  if  he  had 
kept  it  up,  I  don't  believe  I  would  have  been 
able  to  overhaul  him  myself." 

This  remark  caused  several  of  the  grinning 
ranchmen  to  turn  toward  Avon,  who  had 
slipped  off  the  horse  and  laughed  as  he  made 
answer : 

"I  got  into  the  worst  scrape  of  my  life,"  he 
explained,  "and  it  would  have  gone  hard  with 
me  if  Ballyhoo  hadn't  turned  up  just  as  he 
did.  The  reason  I  was  abroad  was  because 
Uncle  Dohm  thought  it  best  I  should  come  to 
camp  after  you  fellows." 


170       THE  GEEAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

"What's  the  matter  with  Mm?"  asked 
one,  who,  despite  the  brief  explanation  al- 
ready given,  could  not  understand  how  it  was 
their  leader  and  his  family  were  in  special 
danger,  even  if  their  home  was  surrounded  by 
Comanches. 

"  The  folks  could  stand  them  off  for  a  week, 
or  month,  if  they  had  water  and  provisions,  if 
it  wasn'  t  for  one  thing  ;  the  roof  of  the  cabin 
is  as  dry  as  tinder,  and  the  captain  knows 
they  intend  to  set  fire  to  it.  If  they  do,  noth- 
ing can  save  the  folks,  for  the  building  will 
burn  down  before  we  can  get  there." 

This  was  putting  a  new  face  on  matters,  and 
the  ranchmen  realized  that  more  serious  work 
was  required  of  them  than  rounding  up  the 
strayed  cattle.  Captain  Shirril  was  too  brave 
a  man  to  feel  needless  alarm,  and  the  fact  that 
he  had  sent  for  help  was  proof  that  there  was 
urgent  need  of  it. 

Two  of  the  party  were  gone  and  might  not 
be  back  for  several  hours.  That,  however, 
was  of  no  account,  since,  including  young 
Burnet,  seven  were  left,  and  not  one  of  them 
would  have  hesitated,  with  his  companions,  to 


THROUGH  THE  BUSH.  171 

• 

attack  a  party  of  Comanches  two  or  three 
times  as  numerous  as  that  which  had  laid 
siege  to  the  captain's  cabin. 

These  men  were  fully  armed  with  Win- 
chester, revolvers,  and  knives,  they  had  no 
superiors  as  horsemen,  they  were  accustomed 
to  the  rough  out-door  life,  and  it  may  be  said 
that  all  welcomed  the  chance  of  a  stirring 
brush  with  the  red  men  that  had  been  hover- 
ing in  their  vicinity  so  long,  but  who  took 
care  to  avoid  anything  in  the  nature  of  a  fair 
stand-up  fight. 

There  were  horses  for  all,  including  Avon 
Burnet,  and,  in  a  very  brief  space  of  time,  the 
men  were  in  the  saddle  and  heading  toward 
the  home  of  their  leader. 

It  would  be  hard  to  find  a  company  of  cow- 
boys or  plainsmen  whose  members  are  not 
known  by  distinctive  names,  generally  based 
on  some  personal  peculiarity.  Thus  young 
Burnet,  as  we  have  stated,  was  nearly  always 
addressed  as  "Baby,"  because  of  his  youth. 
Oscar  Gleeson,  one  of  the  most  skilful  and 
famous  cowmen  of  the  Southwest,  was  ad- 
dressed as  "Ballyhoo,"  for  the  reason  that, 


172  THE  GREAT   CATTLE  TRAIL. 

• 

whenever  he  indulged  in  a  shout  or  loud  call, 
lie  used  that  exclamation. 

Hauser  Files,  the  associate  of  Gleeson,  once 
took  part  in  a  game  of  baseball  in  San 
Antonio,  during  which  he  received  the  elusive 
sphere  on  the  point  of  his-  nose.  He  withdrew 
in  disgust  from  the  amusement,  and  was 
always  known  thereafter  as  Short  Stop. 

Gleeson  and  Files  were  between  thirty  and 
forty  years  of  age,  but  Ward  Burrell,  from 
the  lowlands  of  Arkansas,  had  rounded  his 
half-century  of  existence,  acquiring  during  the 
journey  such  a  peculiar  complexion  that  he 
was  known  as  Old  Bronze.  Andy  Wynwood, 
from  the  same  State,  was  younger.  One  of 
his  most  stirring  narratives  related  to  the 
manner  in  which  he  escaped  hydrophobia, 
after  being  bitten  by  a  rabid  wolf.  He 
claimed  that  the  only  thing  that  saved  him 
was  the  use  of  a  mad  stone.  Whether  he  was 
mistaken  or  not  is  not  for  us  to  say,  but  there 
was  certainly  no  mistake  about  the  origin  of 
the  name  of  Madstone,  which  clung  to  him 
forever  afterward. 

Antonio     Nunez,    the    Mexican,    was    the 


THROUGH  THE  BUSH.  173 

"Greaser,"  Zach  Collis  from  New  Mexico, 
who  was  also  more  than  fifty  years  of  age, 
was  "Rickety,"  because  of  a  peculiarity  in 
his  gait,  while  George  Garland  was  "  Jersey 
George,"  for  no  other  reason  than  that  he 
was  born  in  the  State  of  New  Jersey. 

The  remaining  member  of  Captain  Shirril's 
party  was  Shackaye,  a  Comanche  Indian, 
about  a  year  older  than  Avon  Burnet,  concern- 
ing whom  we  shall  soon  have  something  to 
say  further. 

Captain  Shirril  was  right  when  he  expressed 
his  belief  that  the  arrival  of  his  friends  would 
be  in  the  nature  of  one  of  those  wild  western 
cyclones,  which  have  grown  quite  familiar  of 
late  in  the  West  and  Southwest. 

The  cowboys  swung  along  at  an  easy  gallop, 
until  near  the  cabin.  They  wanted  to  arrive 
without  giving  the  Comanches  more  notice 
than  was  inevitable  ;  but,  when  they  knew 
their  approach  could  be  concealed  no  longer, 
they  drove  their  spurs  into  the  flanks  of  their 
ponies,  gave  utterance  to  their  wild  whoops, 
and  went  forward  on  a  dead  run. 

Before  this,    the  Indians  must    have    sus- 


174  THE   GREAT   CATTLE  TRAIL. 

pected  that  matters  were  not  progressing 
right.  They  were  aware  that  one  or  more 
white  men  were  in  the  vicinity,  and  as  a  mat- 
ter of  course  knew  of  the  Texan  camp,  only 
a  few  miles  away.  If  the  cowboys  had  not 
learned  what  was  going  on  from  the  reports 
of  the  guns,  they  must  soon  learn  it  from  the 
whites,  who  were  not  only  near  the  building, 
but  who  managed  to  keep  out  of  their 
clutches. 

Not  only  that,  but  the  red  men  had  already 
lost  several  of  their  best  warriors,  and  having 
been  repeatedly  baffled  in  their  attempts  to 
fire  the  building,  were  considering  a  with- 
drawal, at  the  moment  they  were  joined  by 
their  comrade,  who  received  such  unmerited 
mercy  from  Mrs.  Shirril. 

The  shouts,  firing  of  guns,  and  tramp  of  the 
horses  settled  the  question  off-hand.  There 
was  an  instant  scattering  to  their  own  steeds, 
upon  whose  backs  they  vaulted,  and  then, 
turning  their  heads  toward  the  mesquite  bush, 
they  sent  them  flying  away  at  breakneck 
speed. 

But  the  Texans  were  not  to  be  disappointed 


THROUGH  THE  BUSH.  175 

of  their  entertainment  in  that  style.  Catch- 
ing a  glimpse  of  the  scurrying  horsemen, 
they  were  after  them  like  so  many  thunder- 
bolts, firing  their  pistols  and  rifles,  even  when 
there  was  no  chance  of  hitting  anything. 
There  was  no  time  to  aim,  and  they  took  the 
chances  of  so  much  powder  accomplishing 
something,  when  burned  with  ardor  and 
eagerness. 

Thus  it  came  about  that,  within  a  minute 
after  the  arrival  of  our  friends,  they  were  out 
of  sight  again  in  the  brush,  doing  their  ut- 
most to  teach  the  marauders  a  lesson  that 
would  keep  them  forever  away  from  that 
neighborhood. 

"  Ballyhoo  "  fixed  his  eye  on  one  of  the  red 
men,  who  seemed  to  be  at  the  rear.  He  was 
in  fact  the  very  fellow  whose  life  had  been 
spared  by  Mrs.  Shirril.  Arriving  on  the 
ground  at  the  last  moment,  he  was  obliged  to 
run  several  rods  before  reaching  his  horse ; 
but  he  did  it  quickly,  and,  turning  his  head 
toward  the  bush,  dashed  after  his  companions 
and  was  almost  upon  their  heels. 

"  You'  re  my  game!"  exclaimed  Grleeson, 


176       THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

banging  away  witli  his  revolver  at  him,  but, 
so  far  as  he  could  see,   without  effect. 

The  mesquite  bush  was  not  vigorous  enough 
to  offer  much  obstruction  to  the  mustangs, 
though  it  was  much  more  objectionable  than 
the  open  plain.  The  horses  could  plunge 
through  it,  almost  as  if  it  were  so  much  tall 
grass,  besides  which  it  gave  something  of 
shelter  to  the  Comanches,  who  were  now  flee- 
ing for  their  lives. 

Flinging  themselves  forward  on  the  necks 
of  their  steeds,  who  were  as  fleet  as  those  of 
their  pursuers,  with  the  brush  swaying  on  all 
sides,  they  became  such  bad  targets  that  only 
chance  or  wonderful  skill  could  tumble  them 
to  the  earth. 

Gleeson  was  so  close  to  the  savage  he  had 
singled  out  as  his  special  target,  and  his  own 
steed  coursed  so  swiftly  through  the  bush, 
that  it  looked  as  if  he  would  down  his  man. 
The  fugitive  was  hardly  visible,  as  he 
stretched  forward,  not  upon  his  horse's  neck, 
but  along  the  further  side  and  almost  under 
it.  About  the  only  part  of  his  person  within 
reach  was  his  foot,  the  toes  of  which  were 


THROUGH   THE   BUSH.  177 

curved  over  the  spine  of  his  animal,  and  his 
left  arm,  which  clasped  the  neck  from  below. 

It  was  useless,  therefore,  for  the  Texan  to 
try  any  sort  of  aim,  and  when  he  discharged 
his  pistol  now  and  then,  until  the  chambers 
were  emptied,  it  was  with  the  same  hope  as 
before,  that  by  accident  one  of  the  missiles 
would  reach  home. 

But  this  little  amusement  was  not  to  be 
entirely  on  the  side  of  the  pursuer.  Sud- 
denly there  was  a  flash  beneath  the  neck  of  the 
mustang,  a  resounding  report,  and  the  bullet 
grazed  the  temple  of  the  enthusiastic  cowboy. 

"Well  done,  old  fellow,"  he  muttered, 
shoving  his  smaller  weapon  in  his  holster,  and 
bringing  his  Winchester  round  in  front ;  "it 
makes  things  more  lively  when  they  are  not 
one-sided." 

He  bent  forward,  and,  sighting  as  best  he 
could,  fired.  A  whinnying  scream  rang  out 
in  the  confusion,  and  the  mustang  plunged 
forward  on  his  knees  and  rolled  over  on  his 
side,  stone  dead  because  of  the  bullet  that 
had  bored  its  way  through  his  brain. 

Such  a  mishap  would  have  been  fatal  to  the 
12 


178       THE  GKEAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

majority  of  riders,  but  the  wonderful  activity 
of  the  Comanche  saved  him  from  harm 
because  of  the  fall  of  his  animal.  He  struck 
the  ground  on  his  feet,  and  showed  a  tremen- 
dous burst  of  speed,  as  he  took  up  the  inter- 
rupted flight  of  his  horse,  keeping  straight  on, 
without  darting  to  the  right  or  left. 

"  I've  got  you  now,"  exclaimed  the  exultant 
Texan,  holding  the  nose  of  his  animal  toward 
him. 

Astonishing  as  was  the  fleetness  of  the 
Comanche,  it  could  not  equal  that  of  the  intel- 
ligent mustang,  that  knew  what  was  needed 
from  him.  He  wanted  no  guidance  from  his 
rider,  who  was  therefore  left  free  to  manipu- 
late his  Winchester  as  best  he  could  with 
the  brush  whipping  about  him. 

All  at  once  the  gun  was  brought  to  his 
shoulder,  but,  before  it  was  fired,  the  Indian 
dropped  his  head,  dodged  to  one  side,  and 
vanished  as  if  by  magic. 

Where  he  had  gone  was  a  mystery  to  the 
Texan,  whose  steed  checked  himself  so  sud- 
denly that  the  rider  was  nearly  thrown  from 
his  saddle. 


THROUGH  THE  BUSH.  179 

There  was  so  much  noise  and  confusion  that 
Gleeson  could  not  hear  clearly,  but  something 
caused  him  to  turn  his  head,  under  the  impres- 
sion that  he  detected  a  movement  near  at 
hand. 

He  was  just  in  time  to  catch  a  glimpse  of 
the  Comanche,  darting  through  the  bush  in  a 
direction  almost  the  opposite  of  that  which 
he  had  been  following  so  long. 

"How  the  mischief  did  you  get  there?" 
was  the  astonished  exclamation  of  the  Texan, 
as  he  again  brought  his  rifle  to  a  level. 

At  the  moment  of  doing  so,  he  compre- 
hended how  it  all  came  about.  The  Comanche 
had  darted  directly  under  the  mustang,  doing 
so  with  a  quickness  and  skill  that  baffled  the 
eye  of  his  foe.  Few,  even  of  his  own  people, 
could  have  performed  the  exploit  which  he 
executed  with  perfection. 

Ballyhoo  Gleeson  lowered  his  gun. 

u  You  can  go  !  I'll  be  hanged  if  you  don't 
deserve  to  get  away  after  that  trick!" 


CHAPTEK  XXII. 

THUNDERBOLT. 

A  VON  BURNET  knew  that  when  the  cat- 
JTJL  tlemen  reached  a  point  within  a  half 
mile  of  his  home,  and  the  fire  had  not  yet 
been  started,  that  all  danger  was  over.  It 
was  beyond  the  power  of  the  assailants,  with 
the  slight  time  at  their  command,  to  harm  the 
defenders. 

Then  naturally  his  thoughts  turned  to  his 
mustang  Thunderbolt,  that  had  been  left  in 
the  mesquite  bush  with  the  animal  belong- 
ing to  his  uncle.  The  chances  were  that 
the  Comanches  had  captured  both,  but  he 
was  not  without  hope  regarding  his  own 
pony. 

The  steed  was  so  intelligent  that  he  was  cer- 
tain to  resist  the  approach  of  a  stranger  at 
night,  especially  if  he  were  an  Indian.  The 
redskins  were  so  occupied  in  trying  to  encom- 

180 


THUNDERBOLT.  181 

pass  the  death  of  the  Texan  and  his  family, 
besides  being  well  supplied  with  their  own 
steeds,  that  they  were  not  likely  to  put  forth 
much  effort  to  capture  a  single  animal. 

The  youth  was  as  eager  as  his  companions 
to  do  his  part  in  driving  off  the  red  men,  but 
the  chance  was  denied  him.  The  spare  horse 
which  he  rode,  and  which  he  put  to  his  best 
pace,  could  not  hold  his  own  with  the  rest, 
and  consequently  he  arrived  at  the  rear  of  the 
procession. 

He  glanced  right  and  left,  but  caught  the 
outlines  of  but  one  figure,  whose  identity  he 
suspected,  because  he  was  standing  in  front  of 
the  cabin  door. 

"Helloa,  uncle,  is  that  you?" 

"Yes,  Avon;  I  see  you  have  arrived;  I 
hope  you  suffered  no  harm." 

"  Matters  were  stirring  for  a  time,  but  I  am 
safe." 

At  this  moment,  Mrs.  Shirril  and  Dinah, 
recognizing  the  voice,  opened  the  door,  the 
captain  inviting  them  to  come  outside. 

The  fire  was  now  burning  so  briskly  on  the 
hearth  that  the  interior  was  well  illuminated, 


182  THE   GREAT   CATTLE  TEAIL. 

so  that  their  figures  were  plainly  stamped 
against  the  yellow  background. 

"  There  isn't  anything  left  for  you  to  do," 
said  the  captain,  "so  you  may  as  well 
dismount." 

The  firing,  shouts,  and  yells  came  from  a 
remote  point  in  the  bush,  and  were  rapidly 
receding. 

Avon  came  down  from  his  saddle,  kissed  his 
aunt,  shook  hands  with  his  uncle,  and  spoke 
kindly  to  Dinah,  who  was  proud  of  the 
handsome  fellow. 

"  Uncle,"  said  he  briskly,  "what  do  you 
suppose,  has  become  of  your  horse  Jack  and 
Thunderbolt?" 

"  Taken  off  by  the  Comanches,  or  killed." 

"I  suppose  that  is  probable,  but  I  shall 
make  a  search  for  them." 

Believing  this  could  be  done  better  on  foot, 
he  left  the  pony  in  charge  of  his  relative  and 
walked  hastily  into  the  bush. 

"I  don't  suppose  there  is  much  hope,  but  I 
have  an  idea  that  maybe  Thunderbolt  has 
been  wounded  and  needs  looking  after.  The 
bullets  have  been  flying  pretty  thickly  during 


THUNDERBOLT.  183 

the  last  few  minutes,  and  for  that  matter," 
he  added,  pausing  a  few  seconds  to  listen, 
"they  are  not  through  yet." 

On  the  edge  of  the  bush  he  encountered  a 
horseman,  whose  voice,  when  hailed,  showed 
that  he  was  "  Jersey." 

"  What's  the  trouble  ? "  asked  Avon,  paus- 
ing to  exchange  words  with  his  friend. 

"  Aint  nothing  more  to  do,"  was  the  re- 
sponse; "the  varmints  are  travelling  faster 
than  this  horse  can  go,  though  he  was  one  of 
their  animals." 

"How  was  that?" 

"I  got  it  in  the  neck— that  is  my  critter 
did.  I  had  one  of  them  pretty  well  pinned, 
when  he  fired  from  under  his  horse's  belly 
and  my  pony  went  down,  as  dead  as  a  door- 
nail. I  came  mighty  nigh  being  mashed  under 
him,  but  I  dropped  the  other  chap,  for  all  I 
couldn't  see  him  when  I  drew  bead.  I  'spose 
it  was  a  chance  shot,  but  the  minute  he  went 
off  his  horse  got  so  bewildered  he  didn't 
know  what  to  do  with  himself.  While  he  was 
trotting  about,  I  catched  him,  put  my  bridle  on 
him  without  trouble,  and  here  I  am,  Baby." 


184  THE  GREAT   CATTLE  TRAIL. 

"  Sure  he  isn't  one  of  ours  ?"  asked  Avon, 
approaching  still  nearer  and  looking  him  over 
as  well  as  he  could  in  the  darkness. 

"He  is  now,  but  he  wasn't  fifteen  minutes 
ago." 

Knowing  that  he  was  not  Thunderbolt,  the 
youth  was  hopeful  that  it  might  prove  Jack  ; 
but  it  took  only  a  minute  to  learn  that  Jersey 
was  right.  The  steed  had  been  brought  to 
the  spot  by  one  of  the  Comanches  and  was  a 
fine  animal,  though  so  much  time  passed 
before  the  Texan  secured  him  that  he  was 
simply  prudent  in  not  trying  to  follow  after 
the  red  men,  who  were  far  beyond  reach. 

Jersey  laughed  when  Avon  told  him  his 
errand,  but  said  he  would  not  be  much  sur- 
prised if  he  was  successful,  for  the  reasons 
which  have  been  already  stated. 

There  had  been  hot  work  in  the  bush, 
for  when  the  cattlemen  charged  the  Co- 
manches, they  did  so  with  all  the  vigor  of 
their  nature.  These  Indians  were  among 
the  most  persistent  thieves  in  Texas,  and, 
as  the  reader  knows,  the  man  who  attempts 
to  run  off  another's  cattle  or  horses  com- 


THUNDEEBOLT.  185 

mits  a  more  flagrant  crime  in  that  section 
of  our  Union  than  he  does  when  he  seeks 
the  owners'  lives. 

Avon  bore  to  the  left,  leaving  the  principal 
theatre  of  the  scrimmage,  and  had  not  reached 
the  border  of  the  mesquite  when  he  almost 
stumbled  over  a  fine  horse  that  lay  on  its  side, 
without  a  particle  of  life. 

"I  wonder  whether  that  is  Thunderbolt," 
he  said,  with  a  feeling  of  dread,  as  he  bent 
over  to  examine  the  body. 

Drawing  a  rubber  safe  from  his  pocket,  he 
struck  a  match,  and  by  the  tiny  flame  looked 
at  the  head  and  side  of  the  dead  steed. 

One  scrutinizing  glance  was  enough  ;  the 
body  was  not  that  of  his  own  favorite,  but  of 
Jack,  belonging  to  his  uncle. 

"  Poor  Jack  !  "  murmured  the  youth  with  a 
thrill  of  sympathy,  "  you  have  been  on  many 
a  stirring  campaign,  but  you  will  go  on  no 
more.  I  wonder  how  it  was  you  met  your 
death." 

It  looked  as  if  the  mustang  had  been 
stricken  by  a  stray  shot,  that  may  have  been 
fired  by  a  friend,  for  it  was  not  to  be  supposed 


186       THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

that  a  Comanclie  would  have  killed  him  pur- 
posely, when  he  would  have  been  a  valuable 
prize. 

The  bridle  and  saddle  were  in  the  cabin,  so 
that  the  owner  had  simply  lost  one  of  his 
horses,  his  supply  of  extra  ones  being  suffi- 
cient to  replace  him  without  trouble. 

"  I  am  afraid  there  is  little  chance  of  finding 
Thunderbolt  alive,"  added  the  youth,  as  he 
resumed  his  search. 

He  made  his  way  through  the  bush  with  the 
utmost  care,  for,  although  the  Indians  had 
been  sharply  repulsed,  he  was  aware  of  the 
custom  of  those  people,  when  any  of  their 
number  are  killed  or  wounded.  The  survivors 
put  forth  every  exertion  to  take  them  away 
with  them,  having  the  horror  of  their  race 
against  any  falling  into  the  hands  of  their 
enemies.  It  was  more  than  likely  that  when 
the  sun  rose  not  a  body  would  be  anywhere  in 
sight.  Even  the  warrior  who  had  run  him  so 
hard,  only  to  succumb  to  the  rifle  of  Ballyhoo 
Gleeson,  would  not  be  forgotten  by  his  former 
comrades. 

Advancing   with    the    utmost  caution,    he 


THUNDERBOLT.  187 

heard  a  rustling  in  the  bush  in  front.  Quite 
sure  that  it  was  caused  by  his  enemies,  he 
stood  a  minute  or  two  listening,  uncertain 
whether  to  advance  or  withdraw.  But  he 
found  the  parties  were  receding,  and  he  ven- 
tured to  steal  forward  in  order  to  gain  a  closer 
sight  of  them. 

A  short  walk  took  him  to  the  edge  of  the 
mesquite,  where  the  additional  light  offered  a 
partial  view  of  a  strange  scene. 

Two  able-bodied  warriors  were  supporting  a 
third  between  them.  The  wounded  one  was 
able  to  walk  slowly  with  help,  but  it  was 
apparent  that  he  was  badly  hurt,  for  he 
leaned  heavily  upon  his  support,  who  stopped 
at  intervals  to  give  him  rest. 

Finally  the  party  halted,  and  one  of  them 
emitted  a  tremulous  but  sharp  whistle.  The 
signal  was  for  a  couple  of  their  own  horses, 
which  loomed  to  sight  in  the  gloom,  as  they 
advanced  in  obedience  to  the  command. 

Fearful  of  being  discovered,  if  he  left  the 
bush,  Avon  kept  in  the  shadow  and  watched 
the  party.  His  view  was  indistinct,  but  it  was 
easy  to  see  that  the  two  warriors  were  lifting 


188  THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

their  wounded  companion  upon  the  back  of 
one  of  the  mustangs.  When  this  was  done  a 
Comanche  took  his  seat  behind  him,  so  as  to 
hold  him  in  place  by  passing  an  arm  around 
his  waist.  Those  people  had  .no  need  of 
saddles,  their  accoutrement  consisting  of  the 
single  thong  fastened  around  the  head  of  the 
animal,  and  by  which  he  could  be  guided  at 
the  will  of  his  master.  Indeed,  many  of  the 
Comanches  ride  without  any  such  aid  at  all, 
their  intelligent  animals  being  obedient  to 
their  voices,  and  seeming  to  comprehend  their 
wishes  as  if  by  intuition. 

Soon  after  the  mustangs  and  their  riders 
faded  from  view  in  the  gloom,  the  horses  on 
a  moderate  walk.  They  would  have  proven 
easy  victims  to  a  couple  of  the  cattlemen,  had 
they  appeared  at  this  moment,  but,  much  as 
the  fiery  ranchmen  despised  and  hated  this 
tribe,  it  may  be  doubted  whether  there  was 
one  of  their  number  who  would  have  taken 
advantage  of  such  an  opportunity. 

The  Texans  were  ready  to  fight  at  all 
times,  but  there  is  a  chivalry  in  their  com- 
position which  prevents  their  taking  an 


THUNDERBOLT.  189 

unfair  advantage  of  a  foe.  They  would 
have  allowed  the  trio  to  ride  away  unmo- 
lested, which  is  just  what  the  Comanches 
would  not  have  done,  had  their  situations 
been  reversed. 

Avon  Burnet  was  considering  whether  it 
was  worth  while  to  push  his  search  further, 
when,  to  his  surprise,  an  exclamation  broke 
upon  his  ear,  in  the  form  of  a  vigorous 
"Oofli!"  as  nearly  as  it  can  be  put  in 
letters. 

He  knew  it  came  from  the  lips  of  an 
Indian,  who  was  not  far  off,  though  in  a 
different  direction  from  that  taken  by  the 
warriors  and  their  wounded  comrade.  It 
was  more  to  the  south,  though  the  penetrat- 
ing glance  he  cast  in  that  direction  failed 
to  reveal  the  individual. 

But  it  was  heard  again,  and  now,  when  he 
looked,  he  was  able  to  catch  the  dim  outlines 
of  a  horse,  walking  slowly  toward  him. 

"  What's  the  matter  with  the  Comanches 
to-night?"  the  puzzled  youth  asked  him- 
self; "  they  seem  to  be  up  to  all  manner 
of  tricks." 


190  THE   GEEAT   CATTLE  TEAIL. 

As  the  horseman  gradually  became  more 
distinct,  he  saw  that  the  rider  was  in  an 
odd  quandary.  He  was  striving  to  turn  the 
animal  in  the  opposite  direction,  but  he 
would  not  obey.  He  flung  up  his  head, 
sometimes  reared  angrily,  and,  though  he 
maintained  a  walk,  kept  pushing  straight 
on  toward  the  bush,  despite  the  savage 
attempts  of  the  rider  to  make  him  wheel 
about. 

A  suspicion  flashed  through  the  mind  of 
Avon.  The  man  was  an  Indian  beyond 
question,  and  the  horse  could  not  be  his 
own,  for,  if  it  were,  he  would  have  obeyed 
him  without  urging.  It  must  be  one  of  the 
Texan  horses  that  he  was  trying  to  steal. 

The  youth  uttered  the  familiar  signal  by 
which  he  was  able  at  all  times  to  bring 
Thunderbolt  to  his  side,  when  he  was  with- 
in hearing.  The  mustang  replied  with  a 
glad  whinny,  and  broke  into  a  trot  straight 
for  his  master.  It  was  indeed  his  prized 
animal,  with  a  Comanche  warrior  on  his 
back. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

"  GOOD-BY  !  " 


Comanche  must  have  been  disgusted. 
He  had  been  trying  for  some  time  to 
steal  the  mustang  of  Avon  Burnet,  with  the 
result  that  the  pony  was  about  to  steal  him, 
unless  he  prevented  it  offhand. 

The  Indian  heard  the  whistle  from  the  edge 
of  the  bush,  and  the  instant  increase  of  speed, 
on  the  part  of  the  stubborn  mustang,  made 
the  meaning  clear  to  him.  He  did  not  know 
but  that  three  or  four  Texans  were  waiting  in 
the  mesquite,  and  that,  if  he  stayed  on  the 
back  of  the  steed  a  minute  longer,  he  would 
be  carried  directly  into  their  arms. 

Consequently  he  did  not  hesitate.  He 
went  off  of  Thunderbolt,  as  if  struck  by  a 
cannon  ball,  and,  heading  out  on  the  prairie, 
ran  with  might  and  main,  quickly  disappear. 
ing-  in  the  darkness,  and  was  seen  no  more. 

191 


192  THE   GREAT   CATTLE   TRAIL. 

"  Ah,  my  own  Thunderbolt!"  exclaimed 
the  delighted  Avon,  patting  the  nose  of  his 
beast,  who  was  as  happy  as  he  at  being 
restored  to  his  young  master;  "I  thought  I 
would  never  see  you  again,  but  here  you  are." 

He  sprang  upon  the  bare  back,  and  the 
pony  started  through  the  bush  for  the  cabin. 

Arriving  there,  matters  were  found  in  a 
satisfactory  shape.  Ballyhoo  Gleeson  was 
the  only  cowboy  that  had  remained  behind 
with  Captain  Shirril.  The  rest  had  started  to 
look  after  the  cattle.  It  has  been  shown  t>hat 
a  number  had  been  stampeded,  and  since  all 
care  was  necessarily  withdrawn  from  the 
others,  they  were  likely  to  follow  suit.  Then, 
too,  it  was  probable  that  the  Comanches  would 
see  their  chance  of  securing  some  of  the  herd, 
and  would  make  the  attempt  despite  the 
rough  handling  they  had  received. 

Nothing  could  have  attested  more  strikingly 
the  fact  that  our  friends  were  accustomed  to 
their  wild,  dangerous  life,  than  the  manner  in 
which  they  now  acted.  A  half  hour  before, 
the  little  family  within  the  cabin  considered 
themselves  in  such  imminent  peril  of  being 


"GOOD-BY!"  193 

burned  to  death  that  they  allowed  young 
Burnet  to  run  the  greatest  risk  to  secure  help, 
before  it  was  too  late. 

But  now  Captain  Sliirril  and  Ballyhoo 
Gleeson  sat  before  the  fire,  that  was  burning 
brightly,  smoking  their  pipes,  and  talking  as 
though  the  occurrence  was  of  the  most  ordi- 
nary nature.  The  ranchman  had  made  sure 
of  his  supply  of  tobacco,  and  intended  to  ride 
back  to  camp,  after  spending  an  hour  or  so 
within  the  house. 

Everyone  had  eaten  supper  before  the  lively 
incidents  opened,  and  Mrs.  Shirril  now  re- 
sumed her  sitting  in  front  of  the  fire,  occa- 
sionally taking  part  in  the  words  of  her  hus- 
band and  guests.  Dinah  was  heard  muttering 
angrily  to  herself  upstairs,  as  she  investigated 
the  damages  done  by  the  visitor  in  her  apart- 
ment. 

Avon,  on  his  return,  told  his  uncle  about 
his  horse,  explaining  that  he  was  fortunate 
enough  to  recover  Thunderbolt. 

"You  were  luckier  than  I  supposed  you 
would  be,"  said  the  captain,  as  his  nephew 
drew  up  his  chair  near  them. 
13 


194  THE  GEEAT   CATTLE  TEAIL. 

uDo  you  think,"  asked  the  wife,  "that 
the  Comanches  will  trouble  us  further,  hus- 
band ?" 

44  There  is  no  danger,"  he  replied,  calmly 
puffing  his  pipe;44  is  there,  Ballyhoo  ?" 

44  None  at  all,"  was  the  calm  response. 

44 1  thought  perhaps  that  because  they  had 
suffered  so  severely,  they  would  come  back 
to  revenge  themselves,"  ventured  the  little 
woman,  still  busily  plying  her  needle. 

44  But  you  see  the  damage  was  done,  not  by 
you  and  Dinah,  though  you  did  your  part,  but 
by  the  men,  and  them's  the  ones  they'll  go 
for,"  observed  Ballyhoo. 

44  That  is  not  the  invariable  rule  with 
Indians,"  was  the  truthful  remark  of  Mrs. 
Shirril.  44It  makes  little  difference  to  them 
whether  the  innocent  or  guilty  suffer." 

44  But,"  said  the  husband,  44the  prime 
object  of  the  redskins  is  cattle,  with  perhaps 
horses  thrown  in.  You  know  they  have  been 
hanging  round  for  a  number  of  days,  waiting 
for  a  chance  before  we  started  north  ;  they 
will  make  an  effort  to  run  off  those  stampeded 
cattle  to-night,  and  likely  enough  will  follow 


"GOOD-BY!"  195 

us  into  the  Indian  Nation,  on  the  watch  for  a 
chance  to  gather  in  several  hundred  hoofs." 

"  I  think  there's  one  thing  that's  encourag- 
ing," said  Avon,  addressing  all  his  friends; 
"  you  know  how  dry  the  roof  of  the  house  is. 
If  Dinah  hadn't  put  her  foot  down  when  she 
did,  there  would  have  been  no  cabin  at  this 
moment.  The  Comanches  tried  to  fire  the 
sides,  and  failing  in  that,  gave  their  atten- 
tion to  the  roof,  where  they  came  so  near 
succeeding." 

"  What  do  you  refer  to  as  encouraging, 
Avon  \  "  asked  his  uncle. 

"There's  a  storm  in  the  air  ;  we  are  going 
to  have  a  regular  driving  rain,  that  will  soak 
the  roof  until  a  ton  of  live-coals  on  the  top 
wouldn't  set  fire  to  the  planking." 

"Baby  is  right,"  said  Ballyhoo,  with  a 
nod  of  his  head;  "  rain  will  fall  within 
twelve  hours." 

"That  is  good  news,"  said  the  wife,  with 
a  pleased  look;  "I  shall  now  see  the  cap- 
tain and  the  rest  of  you  leave  without  a 
misgiving  as  concerns  ourselves." 

"You  wouldn't  feel  frightened,    Edna,   if 


196  THE   GREAT   CATTLE  TRAIL. 

old  Wygwind  and  his  gang  of  imps  should 
come  whooping  down  upon  you?"  asked 
the  captain,  looking  sideways,  with  an  ex- 
pression of  admiration  and  love  glowing 
from  his  shaggy  face. 

"I  don't  pretend  to  say  we  would  not  be 
frightened,  but  Dinah  and  I  would  feel 
secure  inside,  so  long  as  there  was  no  danger 
of  the  building  being  burned.  I  wonder 
whether  Wygwind  led  this  party." 

"I  shouldn't  be  surprised  if  he  did;  he's 
one  of  the  worst  scamps  that  ever  lived." 

"You're  right,"  assented  Ballyhoo.  "I 
believe  he  led  this  gang,  though  a  chap 
couldn't  tell  in  the  darkness.  You  know 
what  a  thief  he  is." 

The  allusion  was  to  the  notorious  Co- 
manche  Wygwind,  one  of  the  many  leaders 
belonging  to  that  tribe.  He  was  a  power- 
ful, wiry  Indian,  in  middle  life,  who  had 
long  been  detested  by  the  ranchmen  for  his 
thievish  and  brutal  propensities.  He  had 
stolen  hundreds  of  cattle,  not  to  mention 
horses,  and  though  often  pursued,  and 
driven  more  than  once  into  dangerous 


"GOOD-BY!"  197 

quarters,  he  liad  managed  in  some  way  to 
pull  through  to  the  present  time. 

"If  he  should  get  inside,"  said  the  cap- 
tain slyly,  "and  you  should  get  the  drop 
on  him,  wife,  I  advise  that  you  don't  let 
him  walk  out  of  the  door  unharmed." 

"That  depends  on  circumstances,"  quietly 
replied  his  better  half;  "if  he  should 
appeal  to  me,  and  he  had  done  no  particu- 
lar harm,  I  could  hardly  refuse  him.  How- 
ever, I  don't  think  if  he  does  enter  it  will 
be  through  the  scuttle." 

"The  next  time  it  will  be  best  to  turn 
him  over  to  the  mercies  of  Dinah." 

"  I  am  afraid  it  will  go  ill  with  him  if  I  do. 
I  heard  her  say  to  herself,  when  she  went 
upstairs  after  you,  that,  on  tlie  return  trip,  she 
meant  to  fall  from  the  round  of  the  ladder 
upon  him :  the  result  would  have  been 
frightful." 

"Yes;  that  red  man  doesn't  know  all  that 
he  escaped." 

The  mutterings  of  Dinah  were  still  audible 
overhead,  and  she  was  seen  the  next  minute, 
descending  the  primitive  stairs. 


198       THE  GKEAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

The  little  party  smiled,  and  the  captain 
turned  toward  her. 

4 'Well,  Dinah,  you  didn't  find  much  dam- 
age done  in  your  room,  did  you?" 

" Humph!  'cause  de  warmint  didn't  hab 
time.  I  only  wish  I  had  a  chance  to  wrung 
his  neck." 

"No  doubt  you  would  have  done  it,  but  I 
think  we  all  have  cause  for  gratitude  that 
things  turned  out  as  well  as  they  did." 

"I  guess  you  didn't  notice  dat  big  hole 
dey  come  nigh  burning  frough  de  roof,  did 
you?" 

" Oh,  yes;  I  saw  it;  it  would  have  been 
much  worse  but  for  you ;  I  hope  the  fire 
didn't  injure  your  shoe." 

She  turned  her  foot  and  looked  at  the 
broad  sole  of  the  heavy  shoe,  as  though  the 
thought  had  not  occurred  to  her  before. 

"It  am  scorchified  a  little,"  she  said. 

"Never  mind,"  remarked  Ballyhoo 
gravely;  "I'll  give  out  a  contract  for  a 
new  pair  for  you,  when  we  get  into  Kansas, 
and  send  a  couple  of  the  boys  back  with 
them,  if  they  don't  prove  too  big  a  load." 


"GOOD-BY!"  199 

"I  consider  such  remarks  as  onnecessary 
and  slightsome,"  replied  Dinah,  with  a 
scornful  toss  of  her  head;  "I  wore  num- 
ber 'lebens,  which  am  just  a  lady's  size;  I 
reckons  you  can't  do  much  better  dan  dat." 

"If  my  feet  keep  on  growing  for  a  few 
years,  I  may  get  there  in  time,  but  yoa 
shall  have  the  shoes,  Dinah,  if  the  right 
size  can  be  bought  in  any  of  the  big  estab- 
lishments." 

"T'ank  you,"  replied  the  African,  who 
thought  it  best  not  to  repel  the  offer  of  her 
friend;  "dese  am  gettin'  wored  consid'ble, 
and  by  de  time  you  got  back,  I'll  need 
anoder  pair." 

The  evening  was  advancing.  In  answer 
to  Ballyhoo's  inquiries,  Captain  Shirril 
looked  at  his  watch,  and  said  that  it  was 
nearly  eleven  o'clock. 

"I  must  be  off,"  remarked  the  tall  ranch- 
man, rising  to  his  feet;  "we  make  an  early 
start,  and  I  don't  know  how  the  boys  have 
made  out  with  the  cattle  ;  they  may  need 
my  help." 

"I  may  as  well  go  with  you,"  said  Avon, 


200  THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

looking  inquiringly  at  his  uncle;  "for  there 
is  to  be  no  more  work  here." 

"It  will  be  just  as  well,"  replied  the 
captain. 

The  youth  took  his  saddle  and  accoutre- 
ments from  the  corner,  where  they  had  been 
lying,  and  stepping  outside,  adjusted  them 
upon  Thunderbolt,  who  whinnied  with 
pleasure  at  the  promise  of  carrying  his 
loved  owner  on  his  back  indefinitely.  The 
two  had  become  attached  by  their  com- 
panionship on  the  hunt  and  ranch,  and  the 
delight  of  the  youth  on  recovering  his  mus- 
tang was  beyond  expression. 

While  he  was  busy  at  this  brief  task,  the 
members  of  the  little  family  kept  their  feet, 
discussing  matters  in  which  each  was 
interested. 

"Well,  I'm  ready,  Ballyhoo,"  called  Avon, 
in  his  cheery  voice,  stepping  quickly  through 
the  open  door. 

He  placed  one  arm  around  the  neck  of  his 
aunt  and  kissed  her  affectionately,  shook 
hands  with  Dinah,  adding  as  he  crossed  palms 
with  his  uncle : 


"GOOD-BY!"  201 

"  I  expect  to  see  you  again,  soon.  Keep  up 
a  good  heart,  auntie,  while  we  are  gone,  which 
I  don't  think  will  be  for  long.  Gfood-by, 
all !  " 

He  put  his  foot  in  the  stirrup,  swung  him- 
self into  the  saddle,  at  the  same  moment 
that  his  companion  did  the  same,  and  the 
couple  headed  their  animals  to  the  north- 
ward. 

Captain  Shirril  and  the  women  remained  in 
the  door,  looking  forth  in  the  darkness,  and 
listening  until  the  sounds  of  the  hoofs  died 
out  in  the  distance.  Then  the  Texan  led  the 
way  inside,  adjusting  the  bar  in  place  so  that 
no  one  could  enter  without  permission. 

The  extra  horse  which  Avon  had  ridden  to 
the  cabin  was  turned  loose  in  the  bush,  to  be 
recovered  and  used  by  the  captain  when  he 
wished  to  ride  to  the  camp.  Ballyhoo  had 
removed  the  saddle  and  bridle,  which  lay  in 
the  corner  where  Avon's  had  awaited  him. 

The  Texan  stood  a  minute,  looking  around 
the  room,  as  if  trying  to  recall  any  forgotten 
duty,  but  thought  of  none. 

"It  is  later   than  I  suspected,"    said  he, 


202  THE  GREAT   CATTLE  TKAIL. 

addressing  his  wife  and  consulting  his  watch 
again  ;  uand  we  may  as  well  retire." 

He  lighted  a  common  tallow  candle,  and 
with  that  in  his  hand,  led  the  way  up  the 
ladder,  followed  by  the  others.  Fifteen 
minutes  later,  everyone  was  sleeping  as 
soundly  as  though  the  evening  had  not  been 
disturbed  by  any  unusual  incident. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

A  STKANGE  DELAY. 

IV  /TEAN WHILE  Avon  Burnet  and  Gleeson 
-IV_L  continued  riding  northward  at  an  easy 
gallop,  their  eyes  and  ears  on  the  alert  for 
sounds  of  their  friends  or  enemies. 

" Do  you  remember  this  spot?"  asked  the 
elder,  drawing  his  mustang  down  to  a  walk, 
after  going  some  distance. 

The  youth  looked  keenly  round  in  the 
gloom,  bat  saw  only  the  level  plain,  similar 
to  that  over  which  they  had  ridden  since 
leaving  the  cabin.  A  dark  object  on  the 
ground  caused  him  to  force  his  pony  to- 
ward it. 

"That  must  be  one  of  our  cattle,"  he  said 
inquiringly. 

"It's  what  is  left  of  him;  that's  the  steer 
that  the  Comanche  brought  down  when  he 
took  a  shot  at  you." 

203 


204       THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

"Ah,  this  is  the  place  where  you  joined 
me?" 

"Percisely." 

"  But  where  is  Tie — that  is,  his  body  ? " 

"They've  took  it  off;  you  know  how  hard 
the  Comanches  try  to  carry  away  their  dead 
and  wounded." 

"I  saw  a  proof  of  that  while  hunting  for 
Thunderbolt,  but  I  didn't  think  they  would  be 
able  to  find  this  one." 

"  They  must  have  heard  the  shot  and  his 
cry,  and  though  we  made  things  hum  about 
them,  they  took  time  to  look  into  it  and  bear 
the  body  away." 

"I  wonder  now  whether  that  could  have 
been  Wygwind,"  said  Avon,  referring  to  the 
notorious  leader  of  whom  we  have  spoken. 

"No,"  was  the  decisive  reply  of  Ballyhoo. 

"Why  not?" 

"  He  is  a  powerful  brave  Injin,  but  plenty  of 
his  warriors  can  outran  him.  This  one  was 
too  good  on  his  feet  to  be  him." 

The  couple  gave  their  horses  rein  again, 
and  they  broke  into  a  gallop  which  carried 
them  swiftly  toward  their  destination.  The 


A  STRANGE  DELAY.  205 

glimmer  of  the  camp-fire  was  discerned  when 
they  rode  to  the  top  of  the  next  moderate 
elevation. 

"Hark!"  exclaimed  Ballyhoo,  abruptly 
checking  his  pony. 

His  companion  did  the  same,  for  he  had 
caught  the  sound,  which  was  that  made  by 
many  hoofs. 

"The  confounded  beasts  are  still  at  it," 
added  the  elder,  allowing  his  steed  to  resume 
his  walk. 

"The  boys  may  be  driving  them  back  to 
camp." 

"No;  it  doesn't  sound  right." 

"Do  you  imagine  the  Cbmanches  are  tak- 
ing any  hand  in  this?" 

"  It  doesn' t  strike  me  so,  but  there's  no  say- 
ing what  those  varmints  will  do ;  they're  so 
fond  of  stealing  that  they'll  run  great  risks." 

However,  since  the  couple  were  able  to 
locate  the  running  animals,  they  felt  it  their 
duty  to  bear  a  hand  in  helping  to  bring  them 
back  to  camp.  There  was  danger  that  if  they 
were  not  speedily  brought  under  control,  the 
start  could  not  be  made  on  time. 


206       THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

"  Come  on,  Baby,"  called  Gleeson,  wheeling 
his  animal  to  the  right,  and  sending  him  off  at 
a  dead  run. 

Thunderbolt  knew  what  was  expected  of 
him,  and  without  waiting  for  orders,  stretched 
away  in  the  same  direction,  with  the  old  thrill 
stirring  his  rider  at  the  prospect  of  exciting 
work  at  hand. 

It  was  not  long  before  they  caught  sight  of 
the  frightened  animals,  going  as  if  a  legion  of 
wolves  were  at  their  heels.  They  were  run- 
ning from  camp,  and,  unless  their  course 
could  be  changed,  would  be  far  from  it  before 
daylight. 

In  fact  their  presence  so  comparatively 
near  proved  that  they  were  either  another 
part  of  the  main  herd,  or  if  the  ones  first 
stampeded,  had  broken  off  again,  after  being 
well  on  their  way  to  their  regular  pasturing 
grounds. 

"Look  out!  they  may  be  Comanches  ! " 
called  Ballyhoo  to  his  youthful  companion. 
"No,  they  are  not  either." 

The  last  remark  was  caused  by  the  sight  of 
two  of  their  friends  riding  like  mad,  shouting 


A   STKANGE  BELAY.  207 

and  swinging  their  whips,  which  they  had 
brought  from  camp.  They  were  Madstone 
and  Rickety,  who  were  doing  all  they  knew 
how  to  check  the  animals  that  seemingly 
would  not  be  checked  or  turned  aside. 

It  looked  as  if  Ballyhoo  and  Avon  must  be 
trampled  to  death,  for  they  were  directly  in 
front  of  the  rushing  herd,  but  they  swung 
their  arms,  holding  each  his  rifle  aloft,  and 
shouted  loud  enough  to  be  heard  miles 
distant. 

The  mustangs  were  a  little  nervous,  but 
were  used  to  such  experiences,  and  they  did 
not  catch  the  contagion.  They  held  their 
ground,  though  it  was  manifest  they  would 
have  preferred  to  be  somewhere  else. 

Suddenly,  when  the  terrified  beasts  were 
almost  upon  them,  they  swerved  to  one  side. 
The  change  of  direction  was  slight,  but  it 
was  important  as  a  beginning.  The  cow- 
boys were  quick  to  take  advantage  of  it,  and 
redoubled  their  shoutings  and  gesticulations. 
The  cattle  trended  further  and  further  from 
the  course  they  had  been  following,  and  ere 
long  were  headed  toward  the  camp. 


208  THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

They  were  now  on  the  run  and  the  four 
men  kept  them  there,  determined  that  they 
should  not  get  away  again. 

Madstone  explained  that  they  were  the 
ones  that  took  fright  earlier  in  the  evening, 
and  were  on  a  dead  run,  when  Ballyhoo 
shot  down  the  Comanche  that  was  pursuing 
Avon  Burnet.  The  cattle  had  drifted  a  con- 
siderable way,  but  they  were  soon  brought 
under  control  and  headed  in  the  right 
direction. 

All  was  going  well,  when  off  they  went 
again  at  a  more  frantic  rate  than  before. 
The  cowboys  were  at  loss  to  understand 
what  caused  the  new  outbreak,  when,  to 
their  amazement,  three  Cornanches  appeared 
in  their  front. 

The  dusky  scamps  did  their  best  to  run 
them  off,  but  it  was  evident  they  were  afraid 
of  the  Texans,  who  made  a  dash  for  them, 
whereupon  they  disappeared. 

But  they  had  turned  the  cattle  in  a  new 
direction,  and  the  Texans  had  all  their 
work  to  do  over  again.  There  was  little 
prospect  of  success,  until  Ballyhoo  and 


A  STRANGE  DELAY.  209 

Avon  added  their  efforts,  when  matters 
assumed  a  better  shape. 

But  the  trouble  was  by  no  means  over. 
If  these  animals  should  plunge  into  the 
main  herd  at  the  rate  they  were  now  going, 
they  were  sure  to  spread  the  panic,  with 
the  probability  that  the  whole  two  thousand 
would  soon  be  on  the  run,  and  the  difficulty 
of  the  ranchmen  intensified  ten-fold. 

Accordingly,  as  the  ground  was  approached, 
the  four  horsemen  resorted  to  the  well-known 
practice  of  what  may  be  called  rounding-up. 
They  galloped  back  and  forth,  on  the  outer 
edge  of  the  herd,  and  here  and  there,  circum- 
navigating them  continually  and  as  fast  as  the 
fleetness  of  their  mustangs  would  permit. 

By  this  means  they  finally  succeeded  in 
turning  the  heads  of  the  cattle  toward  each 
other,  and  they  were  crowded  into  a  compact 
mass,  whose  members  were  obliged  to  stand 
still,  since  they  were  huddled  in  one  heap, 
with  the  yelling  cowboys  careering  back  and 
forth,  around  the  circumference. 

This  was  not  accomplished  a  moment  too 
soon,  for  they  were  close  upon  the  main  herd, 

14 


210  THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TEAIL. 

which  showed  a  restlessness  that  might  have 
broken  forth  into  another  stampede,  but  for 
the  skill  of  the  other  cowboys  who  had  them 
in  charge. 

When  the  reunion  of  the  Texans  took  place 
near  the  camp-fire,  and  there  was  a  general 
talk  over  the  incidents  of  the  evening,  the  ar- 
rangements were  made  for  the  night.  All  had 
been  so  actively  engaged  that  rest  would  have 
been  acceptable,  but  there  was  not  one  who 
would  have  murmured,  had  he  been  ordered 
to  take  his  position  and  hold  it  for  hours. 

Indeed  Avon  Burnet  volunteered  to  do  his 
part  in  looking  after  the  cattle  that  it  was 
necessary  to  keep  under  watch  through  the 
darkness. 

"No,"  replied  Ballyhoo,  "I've  fixed  it. 
You  and  me  will  take  a  hand  to-morrow  night, 
when  we're  likely  to  find  it  a  blamed  sight 
more  unpleasant  than  now." 

"And  why  so?" 

"That  storm  that  we've  been  talking  about 
is  holding  off,  as  though  it  finds  it  hard  to 
make  up  its  mind  to  come,  but  it  will  be  here 
within  twenty  hours  or  less." 


A   STRANGE  DELAY.  211 

"I  am  glad  of  it,"  remarked  the  youth, 
thinking  of  his  friends  in  the  distant  cabin, 
which  had  escaped  burning  by  such  a  narrow 
chance. 

It  was  now  past  midnight,  and  those  who 
were  to  be  off  duty  did  not  squander  the 
precious  hours ;  but,  crawling  into  the 
covered  wagon,  bundled  themselves  up  and 
slept  the  sleep  which  waits  on  rugged  health. 

At  the  earliest  streakings  of  light  the 
camp  was  astir.  The  man  who  served  the 
party  as  cook  had  no  light  task  on  his  hands. 
He  generally  carried  a  lot  of  wood  in  the 
wagon  with  him,  for  the  reason  that  it  was 
not  always  easy  to  obtain,  and,  by  doing  this, 
he  was  sure  of  always  having  enough  dry  fuel 
to  burn  readily  when  wanted. 

Those  Texans  were  satisfied  at  times  to  go 
without  anything  at  all  in  the  way  of  food, 
or  to  snatch  a  bite  by  checking  their  mustangs 
long  enough  to  allow  them  to  receive  it,  when 
they  were  off  again  ;  but  whenever  the  oppor- 
tunity for  a  " square  meal"  presented  itself, 
they  proved  themselves  full  hands. 

Gleeson,   who  acted  as  master  during  the 


212  THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TEAIL. 

absence  of  Captain  Shirril,  mounted  his  horse 
and  rode  out  to  inspect  the  herd.  He  was 
relieved  to  find  them  all  in  place.  Most  of 
them  were  lying  down,  drowsily  chewing  their 
cuds,  but  a  few  had  risen  and  were  cropping 
the  grass,  which  grew  quite  abundantly  in  the 
neighborhood. 

While  employed  in  this  duty,  Ballyhoo 
cast  frequent  looks  in  the  direction  of  Captain 
Shirril' s  home.  He  expected  to  see  their 
leader  before  it  was  light,  but  the  sun  was 
already  showing  in  the  horizon  and  he  was 
not  in  sight. 

The  Texan  galloped  to  the  top  of  the  adjoin- 
ing elevation,  from  which  he  could  see  the  low 
flat  building  in  the  distance.  Shading  his 
eyes  with  his  hand,  he  peered  long  and 
earnestly,  but  without  catching  sight  of  a 
horseman  galloping  toward  him. 

"It's  very  odd,"  thought  Gleeson,  "  that  he 
doesn'  t  show  up  ;  something  must  have  taken 
place.  I  wonder  if  those  varmints  have  come 
back  after  Baby  and  I  left  last  night." 

It  seemed  impossible  that  anything  like  this 
should  have  occurred,  but  it  was  beyond  his 


A  STRANGE  DELAY.  213 

power  to  explain  the  non-appearance  of  the 
"boss"  on  any  other  theory.  He  was  prompt 
and  energetic,  and  was  more  likely  to  be 
ahead  than  behind  the  time  he  set  for  his 
own  appearance  at  a  particular  place. 

Without  giving  expression  to  his  fears,  he 
joined  the  group  at  the  wagon  and  partook  of 
his  breakfast,  washing  down  his  food  with  a 
cup  of  delicious  steaming  coffee.  He  avoided 
Avon  for  a  time,  because  he  plainly  saw  the 
young  man  was  disturbed ;  but,  when  the 
meal  was  finished,  the  remarks  became  general 
over  the  absence  of  Captain  Shirril. 

' '  I've  just  come  from  the  top  of  the  swell," 
said  Madstone,  who  had  been  there  since 
Ballyhoo,  "and  can't  see  anything  of  him.  I 
'spose  he  has  overslept  himself,  because  of  the 
flurry  last  night." 

"  I  wish  I  could  believe  it  is  nothing  worse," 
said  Avon,  walking  thoughtfully  out  to  where 
his  mustang  stood  saddled  and  bridled. 

"Why,  what  else  could  it  be,  Baby?" 
asked  Ballyhoo,  repressing  his  own  uneasi- 
ness. 

"That's  just  what  I  want  to  find  out ;  I  tell 


214  THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

yon,  I  don't  think  we  ought  to  stay  here, 
when  it's  pretty  sure  something  is  wrong  at 
the  house ;  if  the  Comanches  are  going  to 
keep  this  up,  it  will  never  do  to  leave  the 
women  alone ;  I  shall  have  to  go  back  and 
stay  with  them." 

"  I  can't  believe  it's  that,  but  we  shall  soon 
know." 

He  sprang  into  the  saddle,  and  the  two  rode 
to  the  elevation  which  has  already  been 
referred  to  several  times. 

"I  will  wait  here,"  said  the  elder,  check- 
ing his  animals,  "  while  you  ride  on  to  the 
cabin." 

Avon  looked  inquiringly  at  him. 

"  Don't  you  think  it  best  you  should  go 
with  me?" 

"  No  ;  I  will  keep  you  under  my  eye  all  the 
way ;  if  you  see  anything  out  of  gear,  you 
need  only  to  signal,  and  I  will  fetch  two  or 
three  of  the  boys  with  me." 

It  struck  the  youth  as  strange  that  Ballyhoo 
should  stop  after  starting  for  the  dwelling. 
The  young  man  had  made  up  his  mind  there 
was  something  wrong  there,  and  it  seemed  to 


A  STRANGE  DELAY.  215 

him  like  a  waste  of  time  for  his  friend  to  hold 
back. 

However,  he  said  nothing  further  in  the 
way  of  protest,  but,  speaking  briskly  to 
Thunderbolt,  sent  him  off  at  headlong  speed 
toward  the  cabin. 

"I  am  afraid  this  knocks  all  my  plans  to 
smithereens,"  he  said  to  himself;  "for  if 
there  is  the  least  danger  of  the  Comanches 
putting  in  their  appearance  again,  it  would 
never  do  for  me  to  leave  home.  It  is  bad 
enough  for  uncle  to  go,  but  there  is  no  help  in 
his  case,  while  there  is  in  mine." 

As  he  drew  near  the  dwelling  his  feelings 
intensified,  and  all  other  thoughts  went  from 
him. 

"I  don't  see  a  sign  of  a  living  person,"  he 
added,  slowing  the  gait  of  his  steed  ;  "  sup- 
pose the  Comanches  made  a  descent  upon 
them  in  the  night  and  managed  to  secure 
entrance — well,  by  gracious  1 " 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

HEADING   NORTHWARD. 

AVON"  BURNET'S  misgiving  increased 
J.TA-  as  he  drew  near  the  cabin  of  his  uncle, 
for  the  unwonted  stillness  was  impressive  to 
the  last  degree.  The  only  sign  of  life  which 
caught  his  eye  was  the  horse  cropping  the 
grass  near  the  mesquite  bush. 

It  seemed  dangerous  to  do  as  he  did,  but  in 
his  anxiety  he  sprang  to  the  ground  and 
walked  hastily  to  the  front  of  the  dwelling. 
Observing  the  latch-string  out,  he  gave  it  a 
sharp  twitch  and  the  door  swung  open. 

Dinah  confronted  him  with  a  look  of  sur- 
prise, and  just  beyond  her,  he  saw  his  aunt 
preparing  the  morning  meal. 

uWhy,  Avon,  you  are  frightened,"  said 
she  with  a  smile. 

"  So  I  am;  where's  uncle?" 

"He  will  be  down  in  a  minute;  when  I 
awoke,  I  saw  he  was  asleep,  and  I  concluded 

216 


HEADING  NORTHWARD.  217 

not  to  awake  him.  You  know  lie  had  a  hard 
time  yesterday  and  last  night,  and  I  took  the 
responsibility  of  not  calling  him.  The  poor 
man  needs  rest  and  it  won't  hurt  you  folks  to 
wait  a  while." 

The  youth  dropped  into  a  chair  and 
laughed. 

"Well,  now,  that  beats  everything!  We 
were  worried  half  to  death,  and  feared  some- 
thing dreadful  had  happened." 

"Nothing  of  the  kind;  we  haven't  been 
disturbed  since  you  and  Gleeson  went  away. 
If  we  had,  the  captain  would  have  been 
awake." 

The  gentleman  referred  to  was  heard  mov- 
ing about  overhead,  and  a  few  minutes  later 
put  in  an  appearance.  He  scolded  his  wife  in 
a  good-natured  way  for  her  well-meant  kind- 
ness, and  adding  that  no  harm  had  been  done, 
sat  down  to  his  morning  meal. 

The  preliminaries  were  quickly  finished,  the 
good-by  said,  and  leaping  into  his  saddle,  the 
captain  joined  his  nephew  in  a  smart  gallop 
northward  to  camp,  where  they  joined  their 
anxious  friends. 


218  THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

And  so  what  promised  to  furnish  a  stirring 
sensation  proved  nothing  at  all.  It  was  rare 
that  the  Texan  allowed  his  weariness  to  get 
the  better  of  him,  but  it  had  done  so  in  this 
case,  and  none  laughed  more  heartily  over  it 
than  he. 

A  brief  investigation  showed  everything  to 
be  in  readiness,  and  the  sun  was  not  far  above 
the  horizon  when  the  start  on  the  long  journey 
northward  was  made. 

The  cattle  seemed  to  have  recovered  from 
the  restlessness  of  the  night  before,  and  were 
as  tractable  as  could  be  desired.  They  moved 
forward  at  a  moderate  pace,  having  browsed 
so  fully  on  the  succulent  grass  that  it  was 
easy  to  keep  them  going,  until  nearly  the 
middle  of  the  day.  At  this  time  a  halt  was 
made  for  an  hour,  during  which  the  cattle 
spread  out  on  the  sides  of  the  well-marked 
trail,  and  ate  as  though  they  had  not  partaken 
of  food  for  days. 

Shortly  after  resuming  the  journey  a  small 
stream  was  reached,  which  was  easily  forded, 
there  being  no  portion  where  it  was  necessary 
for  the  beasts  to  swim.  All  drank  heartily, 


HEADING  NORTHWAED.  219 

and,  upon  climbing  the  sloping  bank  on  the 
other  side,  another  herd  was  observed  several 
miles  to  the  east. 

44 They  haven't  got  as  many  as  we," 
remarked  the  captain  to  Gleeson,  who  was 
riding  by  his  side;  "and  I  hope  we  shall 
keep  far  enough  apart  to  prevent  our  cattle 


mixing." 


"  He's  off  the  trail,"  replied  Ballyhoo,  "but 
will  come  into  it  before  long." 

"  If  we  keep  moving  briskly,  he  must  strike 
it  behind  us." 

It  soon  became  evident  that  the  other  cattle- 
men were  trying  to  force  their  herd  to  a  point 
on  the  trail  ahead  of  the  larger  drove,  which 
was  strung  along  for  many  yards.  Since  they 
were  about  equally  far  north,  the  struggle  was 
an  interesting  one  for  some  time;  but  the 
action  of  the  smaller  collection  of  cattle 
showed  they  were  not  as  manageable  as  the 
larger  one,  and,  before  the  close  of  day,  they 
gave  over  the  struggle  and  dropped  back  so 
far  that,  when  they  struck  the  trail,  they  were 
fully  a  mile  to  the  rear. 

The  promised  storm  still  hung  off,  though 


220  THE  GEEAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

the  sky  was  cold  and  lowering,  and  toward 
night  a  misty  rain  began  falling.  It  did  not 
become  severe  at  any  time,  but  it  added  to 
the  dismal  gloom.  The  wind  blew  in  gusts, 
much  the  same  as  on  the  previous  evening, 
and  the  temperature  fell  until,  had  the  cow- 
men been  less  accustomed  to  exposure,  they 
would  have  suffered  more  than  their  animals. 

Our  friends  did  not  forget  to  keep  a  look- 
out for  the  Comanches,  who  were  likely  to 
show  themselves,  whenever  a  chance  presented 
itself  for  a  raid  upon  the  herd. 

If  they  had  been  too  roughly  handled  to 
venture  upon  anything  of  the  kind,  there  were 
plenty  of  others  to  take  their  places,  if  only 
the  temptation  was  strong  enough. 

The  misty  rain  shortened  the  view  in  every 
direction,  but  the  horsemen  who  dashed 
hither  and  thither,  when  the  cattle  showed  a 
disposition  to  stray  off,  reported  no  signs  of 
their  old  enemies,  who,  however,  might  be 
keeping  out  of  sight  until  darkness  should 
settle  over  the  earth. 

Prudence  required  that  the  cattle  should  be 
treated  considerately,  especially  at  the  begin- 


HEADING  NOKTHWARD.  221 

ning  of  the  long  journey,  for  it  was  to  the 
interests  of  the  owners  that  they  should  arrive 
at  their  destination  in  good  condition.  Like 
men  in  training  for  a  pedestrian  contest,  par- 
ticular care  was  needed  at  the  start  to  prevent 
a  general  breakdown.  After  a  few  days  the 
beasts,  if  well  used,  would  be  able  to  stand 
much  more. 

It,  therefore,  lacked  considerable  of  night 
when  the  final  halt  was  made,  and  the  cattle 
were  allowed  to  crop  the  grass  until  they 
became  sated  and  chose  to  lie  down. 

The  men  in  charge  of  the  other  herd  were 
equally  thoughtful,  for  they  came  to  a  pause 
about  the  same  time,  with  nearly  a  mile 
separating  the  camps.  It  was  hardly  dark, 
indeed,  when  a  horseman  was  seen  approach- 
ing from  the  southward,  on  an  easy  gallop, 
and  there  was  no  doubt  that  he  belonged  to 
the  other  party. 

"It's  my  old  friend  Sclevinger,"  said  Cap- 
tain Shirril,  recognizing  the  visitor,  as  he 
saluted,  and,  checking  his  steed  beside  that 
of  the  old  Texan,  extended  his  hand,  with  the 
heartiest  of  salutations. 


222  THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

"I  suspected  it  was  you,"  said  the  new 
arrival,  whose  pleasant  countenance  was 
covered  by  as  shaggy  a  growth  as  that  of  the 
captain,  "and  I  concluded  I  would  run  over 
and  shake  hands." 

"That's  right,  pard.  I'm  mighty  glad  to 
see  you ;  you  must  take  supper  with  us." 

"  Thank  you,  I  guess  I  will,"  replied  Sclev- 
inger,  dismounting  and  accepting  the  invita- 
tion as  readily  as  it  was  given  ;  "I  tried  to 
run  in  my  herd  ahead  of  you  this  afternoon," 
he  added,  with  a  twinkle  of  his  fine  eyes,  "but 
I  couldn't  quite  make  it." 

"  We  saw  what  you  were  up  to,  and  we  had 
to  bestir  ourselves  to  head  you  off.  How 
many  have  you,  colonel?" 

"Only  about  twelve  hundred — that  is,  I 
had  twelve  hundred,  when  I  started  from  the 
ranch  two  days  ago,  but  we  lost  nearly  a  hun- 
dred yesterday." 

"How  was  that?"  asked  the  captain,  as 
they  reached  the  provision  wagon,  and 
paused  while  the  cook  made  their  meal 
ready. 

"A  confounded  lot  of  Comanches  cut  out 


HEADING  NOKTHWAKD.  223 

some  of  our  cattle,  and,  despite  all  we  could 
do,  got  off  with  them." 

"They  have  been  hanging  round  us,  but 
didn't  do  anything.  Seems  to  me,  colonel,  you 
shouldn't  have  allowed  that." 

"That's  what  makes  me  so  mad,"  was  the 
bluff  response  of  the  guest.  "It  was  just 
after  crossing  the  creek  to  the  southwest, 
which  doesn't  lie  in  your  way.  A  lot  of  the 
beasts  took  fright  at  something,  and  away 
they  went  on  a  bee  line  for  Arizona.  I 
thought  a  couple  of  the  boys  would  be  able 
to  bring  them  back,  and  I  sent  them  off, 
while  the  other  four  looked  after  the  main 
herd.  Thank  you,"  said  the  colonel,  as  he 
took  the  hot  coffee  from  the  hand  of  his 
host. 

"Well,  I  judge  from  what  you  said,  they 
didn't  bring  back  the  hoofs,"  observed  the 
captain,  interested  in  the  narrative  of  his 
friend. 

"ISTo,  by  George,  it  was  worse  than  that. 
Three  or  four  hours  after  the  stampede,  one 
of  the  men  came  in  sight,  riding  like  mad. 
There  were  no  cattle  with  him,  and  he  was 


224  THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

alone.  I  saw  that  one  of  his  hands  was  bleed- 
ing badly,  and  he  had  a  woful  story  to  tell. 
He  said  he  and  the  other  fellow  were  working 
like  the  mischief  to  turn  the  animals  back, 
and  had  almost  succeeded,  when  the  first  they 
knew  a  dozen  whooping  Comanches  were  right 
upon  them. 

"It  was  bang,  bang,  shoot,  cut,  yell,  and 
whoop  her  up  again,  with  no  thought  of  doing 
anything  but  save  themselves.  The  other 
chap  fought  like  a  Trojan,  but  his  horse  was 
killed  and  he  went  down  with  half  the  fiends 
on  him,  fighting  as  long  as  the  breath 
remained  in  his  body. 

"The  one  who  came  back  with  the  news 
was  pretty  badly  cut  up  and  had  the  closest 
kind  of  a  call,  but  his  horse  was  better 
than  any  of  the  others  and  he  managed  to 
escape." 

"Of  course  it  was  idle  to  think  of  get- 
ting your  cattle  after  that,"  remarked  the 
captain. 

"I  was  so  infuriated  that  I  gathered  the 
rest  of  the  men,  intending  to  take  the  trail, 
but  by  the  time  I  was  ready,  I  became  cooler, 


HEADING  NORTHWARD.  225 

and  saw  it  would  never  do.      Haven't  you 
been  troubled  with  the  redskins?" 

"Not  in  the  manner  that  you  have,  but 
they  stirred  things  up  for  us  last  night." 

Thereupon,  Captain  Shirril  gave  an  account 
of  his  own  experience  in  his  cabin.  His 
friend  listened  attentively  to  his  story,  for 
it  was  interesting.  He  remarked,  at  its  con- 
clusion, that  the  Indians  had  been  more  trou- 
blesome that  spring  than  he  had  ever  known 
them.  Twice,  within  the  preceding  month, 
they  attempted  to  steal  a  number  of  his  cattle, 
but  failed  in  each  instance,  with  the  loss  of 
several  of  their  warriors. 

"  And  in  my  opinion  we  are  likely  to  have 
more  trouble  before  we  get  through  the  Indian 
country,"  added  the  colonel. 

"  I  think  so,  too  ;  it  will  be  well  for  us  to* 
get  not  too  far  from  each  other,  for  we  ought 
to  be  in  shape  to  give  mutual  support." 

"Of  course;  there  must  be  other  droves 
on  the  march,  and  we  ought  to  get  a  twist 
on  them  that  will  make  them  squeal." 

The  supper  being  finished,  the  two  lead- 
ing cattlemen  sat  down  under  the  shelter 

15 


226  THE   GREAT   CATTLE  TRAIL. 

of  the  covered  wagon  and  smoked  their 
pipes.  They  had  been  old  army  officers, 
though  Colonel  Sclevinger  fought  on  the 
Union  side  in  the  war.  The  singular  feature 
(and  yet  it  was  not  so  singular  either),  was 
that  they  had  come  in  contact  more  than  once 
during  that  period.  It  fell  to  the  lot  of  the 
colonel  to  take  the  captain  prisoner.  He 
treated  the  brave  Texan  with  so  much  con- 
sideration that  a  strong  friendship  was 
formed,  which  remained  uninterrupted  to 
the  present  time. 

It  was  by  Captain  ShirriPs  invitation  that 
Colonel  Sclevinger  came  to  Texas  on  the 
return  of  peace.  The  Northern  man  felt  an 
interest  in  the  ranch  business,  but  followed 
the  counsel  of  the  Texan,  who  warned  him 
against  going  blindly  into  it.  He  took  pains 
to  give  him  points,  and,  when  the  proper  time 
arrived,  helped  him  to  that  extent  that  the 
gentleman  avoided  the  disastrous  blunders 
committed  by  those  who  fancy  the  ranch 
business  offers  a  straight  avenue  to  wealth, 
without  any  preliminary  training  in  its  many 
difficulties. 


HEADING  NOKTHWAKD.  227 

Enough  has  been  told  to  explain  the  friend- 
ship between  the  two  men.  The  colonel 
intended  to  make  only  a  brief  call,  but  he  so 
enjoyed  the  company  of  his  old  friend  that 
he  sat  a  long  time  in  the  wagon,  smoking  and 
exchanging  reminiscences  of  the  war  times, 
which  theme  must  ever  be  deeply  entertaining 
to  those  who  were  actors  in  that  tremendous 
epoch  of  our  nation's  history. 

Finally  the  visitor  bade  his  friend  good- 
night, and,  mounting  his  horse,  galloped  off 
in  the  night. 

Avon  Burnet  had  listened  to  a  part  of  the 
conversation,  for  he  was  always  interested  in 
what  this  occasional  visitor  to  their  cabin  had 
to  say,  but  he  could  not  remain  as  long  as  he 
wished.  It  was  arranged  that  he  should 
assume  his  place  in  helping  to  watch  the  herd, 
Ballyhoo  Gleeson  being  one  of  those  sharing 
the  duty  with  him. 

So  it  was  that  the  youth  rode  out  in  the  dis- 
mal rainy  night  to  make  a  "full  hand"  at  the 
calling  of  a  cattleman. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

A  SHOT  FKOM  THE  DAKKNESS. 

IT  was  singular  that  Avon  Burnet's  most 
humiliating  experience  overtook  him  on 
his  first  night  in  helping  to  watch  his  uncle's 
herd  of  cattle,  while  following  the  Great 
Cattle  Trail  toward  Kansas. 

The  starting  point  was  so  far  north  in 
Texas  that  the  first  day  carried  them  close  to 
the  Indian  Nation,  through  whose  territory 
they  expected  to  tramp  for  several  days. 

The  night,  as  has  been  explained,  was  raw, 
with  a  fine,  misty  rain  and  a  cutting  wind. 
The  youth  was  seated  on  his  fleet-footed  and 
intelligent  Thunderbolt,  with  his  back  to  the 
wind,  after  the  fashion  not  only  of  all  cow- 
boys, under  such  circumstances,  but  of  the 
animals  themselves,  who  sometimes  drift 
many  miles  before  a  driving  storm. 

He  had  his  thick  army  blanket  gathered 


A  SHOT  FROM  THE  DARKNESS.  229 

about  his  body  and  shoulders,  and,  though 
the  night  was  dismal  and  his  situation  far 
from  pleasant,  it  still  lacked  the  discomfort  of 
many  hours  spent  on  the  vast  plains  of  the 
Lone  Star  State. 

The  young  man  had  held  his  position  for 
less  than  an  hour  when  the  wind  changed, 
veering  completely  around,  so  that,  instead 
of  being  in  front  of  the  herd  and  edging 
gradually  from  it,  he  was  thrown  behind 
the  cattle,  for  they  immediately  faced  about 
and  began  moving  away  from  him. 

The  situation  of  the  young  herdsman 
became  a  delicate  one  at  once.  His  proper 
place  was  in  front,  and  to  reach  that  point, 
he  must  ride  around  the  animals,  and  not 
among  them.  One  of  the  many  singular 
features  of  herding  and  driving  cattle  is  the 
wonderful  sensitiveness  shown  at  times  by 
them.  While  there  is  nothing  extraordi- 
nary in  the  wild  panic  often  created  by  a 
thunderstorm,  there  are  occasions  when  a 
whole  herd  is  stampeded  by  a  cause  too 
trifling  to  be  understood. 

Our   experience    leads    us    to    agree    with 


230  THE   GKEAT   CATTLE  TRAIL. 

many  veteran  cowboys  that  the  cattle,  when 
lying  on  the  ground  asleep,  are  sometimes 
troubled  with  bad  dreams  which  cause  such 
fright  on  their  part  that  their  excitement 
becomes  contagious.  Then  again  the  elec- 
trical conditions  produce  a  morbid  uneasi- 
ness among  them  as  well  as  among  men, 
and  there  seem  to  be  times  when  they  are 
simply  awaiting  a  pretext  for  dashing  off 
in  uncontrollable  panic. 

Avon  Burnet's  fear  was  that  if  he  rode 
directly  after  the  cattle,  the  sound  of  his 
mustang's  hoofs  would  cause  alarm,  since  it 
was  too  dark  for  them  to  identify  him.  A 
stampede  is  the  terror  of  the  cowmen's  life, 
and  no  labor  or  trouble  is  too  great  to  avert 
it.  He,  therefore,  checked  Thunderbolt  and 
waited  a  few  minutes  until  the  cattle  were 
so  far  off  that  he  could  wheel  and  gallop 
around  their  flank  without  frightening 
them. 

When  he  thought  sufficient  time  had 
elapsed,  he  decided  to  wait  a  brief  while 
longer.  His  dread  of  a  stampede  was  so 
strong  that  he  was  unusually  careful,  but 


A  SHOT  FROM  THE  DAEKNESS.  231 

with  no  thought  of  shirking  any  duty,  he 
twitched  the  reins  of  his  horse,  spoke 
sharply,  and  without  touch  of  spur,  was 
off  like  an  arrow. 

Although  not  an  animal  was  visible,  the 
rider  had  the  contour  of  the  herd  so  vividly 
impressed  on  his  mind  that  he  felt  no  misgiv- 
ing, when  he  began  edging  his  steed  more  to 
the  left,  and  finally  brought  him  to  a  stand- 
still, as  he  believed,  at  the  very  front  of  the 
collection.  Indeed,  his  confidence  would  not 
have  been  greater  had  the  sun  been  shining. 

But  when  he  halted  and  listened  he  failed  to 
hear  anything  of  them. 

"  I  must  have  ridden  too  far  ahead,"  was 
his  conclusion,  as  he  started  his  horse  on  a 
walk  to  meet  them  ;  "  but  they  are  surely 
near  by." 

Five,  ten,  fifteen  minutes  passed,  and  then 
he  drew  rein  with  an  exclamation  of  amaze- 
ment, for  his  keen  sense  of  hearing  did  not 
catch  the  first  sound  of  the  cattle. 

"I  have  lost  the  herd!"  he  muttered  in 
dismay,  and  such  was  the  fact.  His  cheeks 
burned  with  chagrin  at  the  consciousness  of 


232  THE  GREAT   CATTLE  TRAIL. 

what  at  first  thought  seems  an  impossible 
error  on  the  part  of  man  or  youth  with  any 
experience  in  attending  cattle. 

It  was  Avon's  first  mishap  of  the  kind,  and 
he  felt  as  though  he  could  never  face  his  com- 
rades again,  if  they  should  discover  the  blun- 
der, which,  after  all,  was  not  so  striking,  when 
the  attendant  circumstances  are  borne  in 
mind. 

But  if  excuse  could  be  accepted  for  his 
slip,  there  was  none  for  inaction  after  its 
discovery.  It  was  not  to  be  supposed  that  the 
animals  would  set  out  to  hunt  him,  nor  that 
any  knowledge  could  be  gained  of  them  by 
idleness.  There  were  other  men  on  duty,  and 
he  shouted  at  the  top  of  his  voice,  in  the  hope 
of  receiving  a  response,  but  there  was  none. 

Slipping  from  his  saddle,  he  knelt  down 
and  placed  his  ear  to  the  ground.  He  fancied 
he  detected  faint  sounds,  such  as  are  made  by 
multitudinous  hoofs  on  the  soft,  wet  earth, 
but  the  noises  were  so  slight  that  he  could 
not  identify  the  direction  whence  they  came, 
and  he  hastily  climbed  into  the  saddle  again. 

He  realized  that  he  was  lost,  and  well  aware 


A  SHOT  FROM  THE  DARKNESS.  233 

that  at  such  times  it  is  useless  to  puzzle  one's 
brains  about  the  point  of  the  compass,  he 
dashed  in  the  direction  which  seemed  to  be 
the  right  one.  Of  course,  as  in  his  recent 
experience,  it  proved  to  be  wrong,  and  he  now- 
spurred  toward  the  top  of  the  ridge  or  hill, 
which  it  was  easy  to  identify  under  the  tread 
of  his  mustang.  He  was  confident  that  this 
elevation  would  yield  the  key  to  the  situation 
and  he  was  not  mistaken. 

From  the  crest  he  observed  the  starlike 
glimmer  of  a  lantern,  and  no  sight,  except 
that  of  the  herd  itself,  could  have  been  more 
welcome.  It  was  the  signal  suspended  every 
night  from  the  front  bow  of  the  wagon,  to 
guide  the  men  whenever  they  needed 
guidance. 

Confident  that  someone  would  be  found  at 
that  point  who  could  give  him  the  important 
news  he  was  seeking,  Avon  rode  thither  on  a 
dead  run.  He  saw  no  one  stirring  as  he 
galloped  up.  The  cook,  who  had  charge  of 
the  wagon,  was  asleep,  and  the  men  off  duty 
were  slumbering  soundly,  while  the  chance 
was  theirs. 


234       THE  GEEAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

But  young  Burnet  had  scarcely  checked  his 
mustang,  when  the  sound  of  somoone  riding 
his  horse  equally  fast  reached  his  ear,  and 
the  next  instant  Oscar  Gleeson  dashed  beside 
him. 

"Howdy,  Baby,  is  that  you?"  he  asked, 
peering  at  the  young  man  dimly  seen  in  the 
scant  yellow  rays  of  the  lantern. 

"Yes,  Ballyhoo,"  was  the  reply;  "I'm  in 
trouble." 

"What  is  it?" 

"I've  lost  the  herd." 

The  Texan  shook  in  his  saddle  with 
laughter. 

"That's  me,  too;  the  first  thing  I  knowed 
they  was  gone.  I  yelled  for  you,  but  you 
couldn't  have  heard  me,  and,  after  cantering 
round  awhile,  I  struck  for  the  wagon  in  quest 
of  news." 

Avon  drew  a  sigh  of  relief,  and  with  a 
smile : 

"I'm  glad  you  lost  them,  for  the  boys 
won't  laugh  at  you,  while  they  would  at  me." 

"I  don't  think  there's  anyone  in  that 
crowd  that  will  laugh,  for  they  all  had  the 


A  SHOT  FROM  THE  DAKKNESS.  235 

same  experience.  I  know  Old  Bronze  and 
Short  Stop  have  lost  a  herd  more  than  once." 

"  It  won't  do  to  stay  here,"  remarked  Avon, 
"for  you  know  there  is  another  herd  only  a 
mile  off,  and  if  the  two  become  mixed,  it  will 
be  a  big  job  to  cut  out  ours  to-morrow." 

-" I  shouldn't  wonder,"  replied  Gleeson,  "if 
the  cattle  have  gone  back  to  the  bed-ground  ; 
at  any  rate  we'll  look  for  them  there." 

The  return  to  the  wagon  enabled  the  couple 
to  obtain  their  bearings,  and  they  knew  the 
proper  course  to  reach  the  spot,  but  the  possi- 
bility of  the  theory  being  wrong  caused  them 
to  separate,  so  as  to  proceed  thither  by  routes 
which,  while  substantially  parallel,  were  so 
far  apart  that  they  were  out  of  each  other's 
sight  and  hearing,  the  latter  being  chiefly  due 
to  the  direction  of  the  wind. 

Avon  spurred  Thunderbolt  into  an  easy 
canter,  the  soft  grass  making  the  travel  easy, 
though  there  was  always  the  risk  of  his 
animal  sinking  one  or  more  of  his  hoofs  into  a 
hole,  with  the  prospect  of  a  broken  leg  for  the 
horse  and  a  dislocated  neck  for  his  rider. 

When  it  seemed  to  the  latter  that  he  had 


236       THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

passed  the  intervening  distance,  he  drew  his 
mustang  to  a  walk,  listening  and  peering 
through  the  gloom  with  all  the  power  at  bis 
command.  There  was  no  lighting  of  the 
darkness,  the  wind  still  blew  keenly,  and  the 
fine  drizzling  rain  continued. 

No  sight  nor  sound  came  to  him,  and,  once 
more  bringing  his  animal  to  a  halt,  he  dis- 
mounted and  pressed  his  ear  to  the  ground. 

This  time  he  caught  a  distinct  noise  :  it  was 
that  made  by  the  hoofs  of  a  horse.  He  was 
walking,  and  was  so  near  that  Thunderbolt 
pricked  his  ears  and  uttered  a  faint  whinny 
of  salutation.  Avon  instantly  rose  to  his  feet, 
and  remounted. 

Looking  keenly  into  the  wet  darkness,  he 
became  aware  that  a  horse  was  standing 
motionless  but  a  short  distance  off  on  his  left. 
In  the  gloom  the  outlines  could  be  traced, 
but  so  dimly  that  he  was  uncertain  whether 
he  had  a  rider  or  not.  The  steed  held  his 
head  well  up  like  Thunderbolt,  and  appeared 
to  be  scrutinizing  the  youth  and  his  animal 
with  a  curiosity  equal  to  theirs. 

There  was  something  so  impressive  in  the 


A   SHOT  FROM   THE  DARKNESS.  237 

sight  of  the  statue-like  object,  which  emitted 
not  the  slightest  sound,  that  young  Burnet 
hesitated  whether  to  advance  or  to  await  its 
approach.  The  man  could  not  be  Gleeson, 
and,  whoever  he  was,  it  was  evident  that  he 
regarded  Avon  with  inquiring  suspicion. 

But  unwilling  to  maintain  the  trying  situa- 
tion, the  latter  touched  the  neck  of  his  mus- 
tang in  a  way  which  the  animal  recognized 
as  a  command  to  move  forward  very  slowly. 
He  obeyed,  and  had  advanced  but  a  few  short 
steps  when  Avon  to  his  astonishment  per- 
ceived that  the  strange  horse  was  without  a 
rider. 

"I  don't  understand  that,"  mused  the 
mystified  young  man,  stopping  his  own  ani- 
mal, with  several  yards  separating  them  ;  "he 
must  have  an  owner,  and  what  can  have 
become  of  him,  and  why  is " 

At  that  instant  he  observed  a  suspicious 
movement,  seemingly  from  the  other  side  of 
the  steed.  Before  he  could  divine  its  nature, 
a  rifle  was  discharged  almost  in  his  face  and 
he  went  off  his  mustang  like  a  flash. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

SHACKAYE,  THE  COMANCHE. 

A  YON  BURNET  was  in  the  act  of  lifting 
JL±-  his  Winchester  from  across  the  front  of 
his  saddle,  when  he  made  the  discovery  that, 
although  the  strange  mustang  in  front  of  him 
bore  no  rider,  yet  a  man  was  on  the  ground 
directly  beyond  and  evidently  watching  every 
movement  made  by  himself. 

This  discovery  could  mean  but  one  thing : 
the  individual  was  an  enemy,  and  was  on  the 
point  of  making  a  hostile  movement  against 
him.  He  had  undoubtedly  dismounted  on 
learning  of  Burnet's  approach  and  interposed 
his  steed  between  them.  Despite  the  gloom  on 
every  hand,  Avon  read  aright  the  meaning  of 
the  almost  imperceptible  movement  on  the 
other  side  of  the  saddle,  and  he  slipped  from 
the  back  of  his  mustang  with  a  celerity  which, 
being  displayed  almost  at  the  instant  of  the 


SHACKAYE,  THE  COMANCHE.       239 

discharge  of  the  other  weapon,  looked  as  if 
it  was  the  result  of  a  fatal  shot. 

But,  although  the  bullet  so  treacherously 
fired  came  near  its  mark,  the  youth  was  not 
touched.  His  action  was  in  the  nick  of  time : 
a  second  later  could  not  have  availed  him. 

He  was  incensed,  as  he  had  the  best  cause 
for  being,  and  he  resolved  that  the  miscreant 
should  not  escape  him.  His  rifle  was  snatched 
from  its  resting-place,  and,  stepping  from 
behind  Thunderbolt,  he  drew  the  best  bead 
possible  on  his  foe. 

The  dexterity  of  the  latter  was  marvellous. 
It  was  as  if,  at  the  very  instant  of  discharging 
his  weapon,  he  had  vaulted  into  the  saddle, 
and,  wheeling  the  head  of  his  horse  away, 
sent  him  scurrying  straight  from  his  intended 
victim. 

Not  only  that,  but,  in  accordance  with  the 
fashion  of  the  frontier  in  such  emergencies, 
he  flung  himself  forward  on  the  neck  of  his 
animal,  so  as  to  offer  the  least  possible  target 
to  the  other,  who,  if  not  hit  hard,  was  certain 
to  return  the  shot. 

The  curious  feature  of  the  proceeding  was 


240      THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

that  the  man,  having  seen  the  youth  vanish 
from  the  back  of  his  steed  at  the  instant  the 
gun  was  discharged,  did  not  assume  that  he 
was  killed.  Possibly  such  -was  his  supposi- 
tion, and  his  hasty  flight  was  partly  due  to 
his  anxiety  to  place  himself  beyond  reach  of 
his  friends,  who  were  likely  to  be  drawn 
thither  by  the  sound  of  firing.  His  act  in 
throwing  himself  upon  the  neck  of  his  mus- 
tang was  simply  in  obedience  to  the  rule 
which  requires  the  frontiersman  to  avail  him- 
self of  every  possible  means  of  safety,  even 
when  there  is  seemingly  no  call  for  it. 

Despite  the  quickness  of  young  Burnet,  he 
was  able  to  bring  his  Winchester  to  a  level 
only  at  the  moment  the  steed  was  thundering 
out  of  sight  in  the  darkness,  but  he  left  fly 
three  times  in  rapid  succession,  reckless 
whether  he  struck  rider  or  animal ;  but  since 
the  sound  of  the  hoofs  still  came  to  him,  he 
was  chagrined  at  the  conviction  that  he  had 
missed  both. 

"But  you  haven't  escaped  me  yet,"  he 
muttered,  swinging  himself  into  the  saddle  ; 
"there  is  no  horse  in  Texas  or  the  Indian 


SHACKAYE,  THE   COMANCIIE.  241 

Nation  that  can  leave  me  behind ;  now, 
Thunderbolt,  run  him  down!" 

But,  while  the  fates  had  been  kind  to  Avon, 
in  that  he  escaped  death  by  the  narrowest 
conceivable  chance,  they  seemed  equally  well 
disposed  toward  the  object  of  his  wrath. 
The  boast  of  the  pursuer  as  to  the  fleetness 
of  his  mustang  was  warranted,  and  had  the 
circumstances  continued  favorable  for  only 
a  few  minutes,  he  would  have  brought  his 
young  rider  beside  the  fleeing  steed,  where 
the  account  between  the  two  men  must  have 
been  quickly  settled. 

But  at  the  very  moment  of  starting,  the 
forelegs  of  Thunderbolt  sank  into  a  hole 
above  the  knees.  His  activity  saved  him 
from  harm,  but  his  rider  took  a  header  over 
his  ears,  sprawling  on  the  wet  grass  in  front 
with  a  shock  that  stunned  him. 

By  the  time  he  could  rally  and  remount 
his  mustang,  the  other  was  not  only  beyond 
sight,  but  his  listening  ear  could  not  detect 
the  slightest  sound  of  the  flying  hoofs. 

"  He  has  escaped  this  time,"  thought  Avon, 
as  he  once  more  resumed  his  place  in  the 

16 


242  THE  GREAT   CATTLE  TEAIL. 

saddle,  "  but  the  account  is  still  open  and 
must  be  settled  very  soon." 

He  was  right,  except  that  the  account  was 
closed  not  only  sooner  than  he  suspected,  but 
in  a  manner  of  which  he  never  dreamed. 

Despite  his  alarming  experience  he  had  not 
lost  his  reckoning,  and,  facing  toward  the  bed- 
ground  of  the  herd,  he  had  ridden  but  a  short 
way,  when  the  familiar  sounds  told  him  he 
was  near  the  animals  from  which  he  was  lost 
only  a  short  time  before. 

"  They  are  here,  Baby,  just  as  I  thought." 
The  remark  was  made  by  Gleeson,  who 
loomed  up  in  the  gloom  as  he  spoke,  with  his 
mustang  on  a  deliberate  walk. 

"I  am  glad  of  that,  and,  since  no  one  be- 
side you  and  me  knows  of  our  slip  last  night, 
we'll  keep  it  to  ourselves." 

"I've  no  objection  ;  but  didn't  I  hear  a  gun 
go  off  a  few  minutes  ago?  What  was  you 
shooting  at?" 

"It  wasn't  /—someone  shot  at  me" 

And  thereupon  Avon  related  the  particulars 
of  his  encounter  with  the  treacherous  horse- 
man. Gleeson  listened  and  said  nothing  until 


SHACKAYE,  THE  COMANCIIE.  243 

he  had  finished.  Then,  with  a  characteristic 
exclamation,  he  expressed  his  regret  that 
Thunderbolt  should  have  stumbled  as  he 
did. 

"Keep  your  eyes  open,"  he  added.  "I'll 
do  the  same,  and  we'll  get  the  drop  on  him 
soon." 

"  Why  does  he  want  to  hurt  me?"  asked 
Avon,  "when  there  has  never  been  a  word 
between  us?" 

"It's  the  nature  of  the  animal,"  was  the 
reply.  "'It  wouldn't  have  made  any  differ- 
ence whether  it  was  you  of  me,  so  he 
thought  he  had  a  sure  thing  of  it.  That's 
what  he's  here  for." 

It  was  evident  from  these  words  that  each 
of  the  speakers  was  satisfied  as  to  the  iden- 
tity of  the  one  that  had  fired  the  well-nigh 
fatal  shot.  Gleeson  named  him  imme- 
diately. 

"I  warned  the  cap,  when  he  hired  that 
Comanche,  that  we  would  have  trouble  with 
him.  We  left  Texas  a  little  short-handed, 
but  we  could  have  got  through  well  enough 
without  him.  Howsumever,  Shackaye,  as 


244  THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

you  remember,  rode  into  camp  one  day 
and  asked  the  cap  to  give  him  a  job,  and 
the  cap  done  it." 

"I  recall  your  words  about  him,  and  I 
thought  they  were  not  justified;  but  what 
made  you  so  suspicious?" 

The  Texan  uttered  an  impatient  exclama- 
tion. 

"In  the  first  place  he's  an  Injin,  and  that 
ought  to  be  enough.  I  never  seen  one  of 
his  race  that  it's  safe  to  trust ;  they'll  shoot 
the  man  that  gives  them  a  cup  of  water  or 
a  piece  of  bread.  Talk  about  Injin  grati- 
tude! There  aint  any  such  thing." 

"  What  did  my  uncle  say  to  your  senti- 
ments ?" 

"  He  laughed  in  that  quiet  way  of  his,  and 
said  maybe  as  I  was  right,  but  he  didn't  see 
what  we  had  to  fear  from  one  Injin  that  was 
in  camp  with  us  ;  he  reckoned  we  could  pull 
his  teeth  before  he  could  bite  enough  to  hurt." 

"I  am  sure  he  will  think  differently  when 
he  hears  my  story." 

"Don't  tell  him  or  anyone  else  a  word 
about  it.  Promise  me  that." 


SHACKAYE,  THE  COMANCHE.       245 

"And  why?"    asked  the  surprised  Avon. 

"  Well,"  was  the  hesitating  answer,  "I've 
several  reasons :  one  of  them  is  that  though 
you  and  me  have  fixed  on  the  Comanche  as 
the  chap,  we  aint  sure  of  it.  It  looks  very 
much  that  way,  but  it  may  be  someone  else 
after  all.  We  mustn't  make  any  mistake,  and 
above  all,  don't  let  Shackaye  think  we  sus- 
pect him." 

The  youth  gave  his  promise,  though  in  his 
mind  there  was  no  doubt  of  the  identity 
of  the  man  that  had  come  so  near  shooting 
him  from  his  mustang.  He  saw  the  wisdom 
of  not  allowing  Shackaye  to  know  that  he 
was  suspected. 

The  cattle  having  been  located,  the  couple 
had  little  to  do  but  to  hold  them  where 
they  were.  This  proved  less  difficult  than 
at  other  times.  They  had  the  help  of  Bur- 
rell,  or  Old  Bronze,  in  the  work,  and  the 
three  did  little  but  ride  back  and  forth, 
timing  their  course  in  such  a  way  that  they 
skirted  the  large  body  of  animals,  often  meet- 
ing and  exchanging  greetings,  but  more  often 
passing  without  seeming  to  see  each  other. 


246       THE  GEEAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

Sometimes  one  of  the  cattle  would  show 
a  determination  to  dash  away  from  the 
main  body,  but  before  he  went  far,  a  horse- 
man was  in  front  of  him  and  he  was  forced 
back.  The  night  was  too  chilly  for  sleep- 
ing, else  one  or  more  of  the  herders  would 
have  stretched  out  on  the  damp  earth,  with 
his  bridle  reins  so  interlocked  with  his  arm 
that  his  horse  could  not  wander  off,  or  he 
would  have  fallen  asleep  in  his  saddle. 
When  worn  out  with  fatigue  and  loss  of 
slumber,  a  cowboy  often  rides  for  miles 
totally  unconscious  of  what  is  going  on 
around  him. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

A  MISHAP. 

THE  weather  cleared  toward  morning, 
and  the  sun  rose  without  a  cloud  ob- 
scuring its  face.  The  halt  had  been  made 
along  a  small  tributary  of  the  Wichita, 
whose  upper  waters  flow  through  the  coun- 
try of  the  Kiowas,  Comanches,  and  Apaches, 
that  of  the  Cheyennes  and  Arapahoes  lying 
farther  north. 

The  scene  was  inspiriting.  The  cowboys 
gathered  around  the  wagon  for  breakfast, 
the  cook  having  been  thoughtful  enough  to 
protect  the  wood  against  the  rain.  The 
animals  were  busy  cropping  the  grass,  which 
was  rich  and  succulent  on  all  sides  of  the 
Trail,  the  hands  for  the  time  being  bestow- 
ing only  general  attention  on  them,  but 
everyone  was  ready  to  leap  into  the  saddle 
and  dash  off  at  a  instant's  call. 

247 


248  THE   GREAT   CATTLE  TRAIL. 

Captain  Shirril  discovered  that  a  bunch  of 
thirty  cattle  were  missing,  and  believed  they 
had  joined  his  friend's  herd  a  mile  to  the 
southward,  from  which  it  would  be  necessary 
to  separate  or  cut  them  out. 

Antonio  Nunez,  the  Mexican,  and  Shackaye, 
the  Cornanche  (the  latter  of  whom  showed  no 
evidence  of  having  been  engaged  in  question- 
able business  during  the  preceding  night), 
were  similarly  attired,  though  it  would  be 
supposed  that  the  full-blooded  Indian  would 
have  dressed  in  accordance  with  the  fashion 
of  his  people.  He  claimed,  however,  to  have 
been  engaged  in  the  cattle  business  before, 
and,  when  he  first  presented  himself  in  camp 
on  his  wiry  pony,  he  wore  the  broad-brimmed 
sombrero,  baggy  leather  breeches,  and  red 
sash  around  his  waist,  which  were  the  most 
noticeable  features  of  the  Mexican's  make-up. 

The  Comanche,  however,  used  no  spurs,  his 
feet  being  shod  with  moccasins,  and,  instead 
of  the  revolver  worn  by  the  Mexicans,  he 
carried  a  knife  thrust  in  at  his  girdle  and  a 
breech-loading  rifle,  which  was  not  repeating. 

The    cowboys     sported    the    same    broad- 


A   MISHAP.  249 

brimmed  hats,  which  in  some  instances  cost 
more  than  all  the  rest  of  their  suits,  the 
leggings,  flannel  overshirts,  and  gaudy  hand- 
kerchiefs tied  loosely  around  their  necks. 

All,  as  a  matter  of  course,  were  expert 
horsemen,  and  were  furnished  with  two  or 
three  excellent  animals  apiece,  for  their 
business  is  as  trying  upon  them  as  upon  the 
men. 

The  meal  was  quickly  finished,  and  Captain 
Shirril,  with  two  of  his  hands,  set  out  for  the 
camp  to  the  rear,  where  he  hoped  to  find  the 
missing  cattle.  Since  there  was  a  possibility 
that  they  had  strayed  in  other  directions, 
three  more  men  were  despatched  to  make 
search. 

It  was  rather  curious  that  the  captain 
selected  as  his  assistants  his  nephew  Avon  and 
the  young  Comanche  Shackaye.  When  they 
were  riding  off,  G-leeson,  the  Texan,  looked  at 
the  youth  and  winked,  but  said  nothing. 

Half-way  to  the  camp,  the  three  galloped 
over  a  ridge  or  swell  in  the  prairie,  when  to 
their  surprise  they  came  upon  the  missing 
animals  browsing  just  beyond. 


250  THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

" That's  lucky!"  said  the  captain;  "the 
job  is  going  to  be  easier  than  I  supposed. 
Avon,  you  and  Shackaye  ride  to  the  left,  while 
I  will  turn  to  the  right.  Look  out  for  that 
ugly  steer  ;  we  have  had  trouble  with  him 
before,  and  I  believe  he  is  in  a  bad  mood 
now." 

The  Indian  grinned  on  hearing  these  words 
and  said : 

"Me  no  'fraid  ;  me  rope  him  if  he  fight." 

And  to  show  his  contempt  for  the  huge 
brute,  he  drove  his  mustang  straight  for  him 
as  he  was  grazing  on  the  further  side  of  the 
group.  The  steer  raised  his  head,  with  the 
grass  hanging  from  his  jaws,  and  looked 
quietly  at  the  approaching  Indian.  He 
seemed  to  be  in  doubt  as  to  his  purpose,  until 
Shackaye,  when  almost  upon  him,  swung  his 
arm  above  his  head  and  uttered  a  tantalizing 
shout,  as  if  he  wished  to  enrage  the  beast. 

If  such  was  his  purpose  he  succeeded,  for 
with  a  muttered  bellow,  the  steer  dropped  his 
head  and  charged  fiercely  at  the  pony,  which, 
to  save  himself,  was  obliged  to  wheel  with 
such  suddenness  that  the  young  Comanche, 


A  MISHAP.  251 

despite  his  superb  horsemanship,  was  thrown 
violently  to  the  ground  directly  in  front  of  the 
animal. 

Occasionally  a  cowboy  is  caught  in  the 
perilous  situation  of  the  young  Comanche. 
His  horse  may  stumble,  his  lasso  (always 
called  a  "rope"  except  in  California)  become 
entangled,  or  he  may  be  thrown  to  the  ground 
in  the  path  of  the  charging  steer  or  bull, 
which  is  sure  to  be  upon  him  before  he  can 
regain  his  feet  and  steed. 

In  such  emergencies  there  is  but  the  single 
thing  to  do :  that  is,  to  shoot  the  animal,  and 
to  hesitate  to  do  so  means  certain  death  to  the 
endangered  cattleman. 

Two  causes  prevented  Shackaye  from 
appealing  to  this  last  and  only  recourse.  His 
fall  was  so  violent  that  he  was  slightly  dazed, 
though  he  did  not  lose  sight  of  his  peril,  but 
he  made  the  mistake  of  attempting  to  climb  to 
his  feet  and  darting  aside,  when  the  time  at 
command  was  insufficient  to  take  him  beyond 
reach  of  the  savage  steer. 

His  rifle  remained  in  place  on  the  front  of 
his  saddle,  so  that  it  was  beyond  his  reach, 


252  THE  GREAT   CATTLE  TRAIL. 

while,  as  I  have  stated  elsewhere,  he  carried 
no  pistol.  He  was,  therefore,  without  firearms. 

Captain  Shirril  was  fully  two  hundred 
yards  away,  but  he  saw  the  imminence  of  the 
danger,  and,  bringing  his  gun  to  a  level,  fired 
at  the  steer,  calling  at  the  same  moment  to 
his  nephew  to  shoot  it.  The  captain's  bullet 
struck  the  beast,  but  without  producing  any 
effect,  unless  to  add  to  his  rage. 

It  took  Avon  but  a  second  or  two  to  raise 
his  Winchester  to  his  shoulder  and  aim  at  the 
animal,  which  was  near  at  hand. 

"If  I  was  sure  that  was  you  last  night," 
he  thought,  "I  would  let  the  steer  do  his 
duty,  but  maybe  you  are  innocent,  so  here 
goes  !  " 

It  was  no  special  feat  of  marksmanship  to 
send  a  rifle-ball  through  the  heart  of  the 
charging  brute,  but  he  was  so  close  to  the 
Comanche  when  he  received  the  shot  that  he 
would  have  tumbled  over  him,  had  not 
Shackaye  managed  to  roll  aside  in  time  to 
avoid  the  huge  mass,  which  ploughed  along 
the  ground,  as  if  fired  from  an  enormous 
gun. 


A   MISHAP.  253 

The  occurrence  alarmed  the  other  cattle,  and 
they  started  off  at  such  a  pace  that  the  instant 
attention  of  the  captain  and  his  nephew  was 
required.  Paying  no  further  heed  to  the 
unhorsed  Shackaye,  Avon  sent  his  mustang 
after  the  flying  animals,  the  captain  doing  the 
same  from  his  direction. 

The  hardest  of  riding  was  required  to  round 
them  up  and  turn  their  faces  toward  the  main 
herd,  and  it  was  not  long  before  Avon  found 
himself  pitted  against  a  steer  fully  as  ugly  as 
that  which  he  had  been  obliged  to  shoot  a  few 
minutes  before.  All  the  others  were  finally 
forced  into  the  right  course,  and  this  obstinate 
animal  was  disposed  to  join  them,  but  after 
trotting  for  a  short  distance,  he  seemed  to  tire 
of  being  good,  and,  wheeling  about,  charged 
like  a  runaway  engine  at  the  youthful  horse- 
man who  was  harrying  him  so  hard. 

In  such  crises  a  great  deal  depends  on  the 
intelligence  of  the  horse.  Thunderbolt  sprang 
aside  with  the  nimbleness  of  a  monkey,  and 
Avon  received  just  enough  warning  to  hold 
his  place  in  the  saddle.  The  steer  attempted 
to  keep  up  his  pursuit,  turning  with  remark- 


254  THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TEAIL. 

able  quickness  for  such  a  large  animal,  but 
the  dexterity  of  Thunderbolt  was  still  greater, 
and  he  easily  evaded  the  sharp  horns  which 
came  near  him  more  than  once.  Finally,  as  if 
he  saw  the  uselessness  of  his  pursuit,  the  steer 
headed  in  the  opposite  direction  from  that 
which  he  ought  to  have  taken,  and  sped  away 
with  all  the  fleetness  he  possessed. 

Avon  saw  his  uncle  galloping  to  his  help. 

" Leave  him  to  me!"  called  the  nephew; 
"I'll  conquer  him." 

Captain  Shirril  drew  up,  and,  from  his 
perch  in  the  saddle,  watched  the  result  of  the 
curious  contest. 

Avon  had  his  rope  ready  to  fling  over  the 
horns  of  the  fugitive,  but  before  doing  so,  he 
resorted  to  another  artifice,  which  few  persons 
of  his  years  can  carry  out  successfully.  It 
is  not  only  difficult,  but  it  is  vastly  more 
dangerous,  in  the  event  of  the  animal  showing 
fight,  as  the  steer  had  already  done. 

It  was  necessary  to  force  Thunderbolt  close 
beside  the  fugitive,  and,  despite  the  courage 
of  the  mustang,  it  was  only  natural  that  he 
should  feel  some  reluctance  against  doing 


A  MISHAP.  255 

this.  Those  horns  possessed  prodigious 
length  and  sharpness,  and  had  already  been 
turned  upon  him  ;  but  he  was  obedient,  and 
urged  by  the  pricking  of  the  spur  and  the 
words  of  his  master,  he  edged  still  nearer, 
though  it  need  not  be  said  that  he  kept  an  eye 
to  windward.  It  was  well  he  did  so. 

Young  Burnet  was  in  the  act  of  leaning  for- 
ward to  attempt  the  dangerous  and  difficult 
feat,  when  the  steer  again  dropped  his  head, 
with  one  side  lower  than  the  other,  as  such 
animals  do  when  assailing  a  foe  sideways, 
and  charged  upon  the  mustang. 

Nine  horses  out  of  ten  would  have  been 
fatally  impaled  by  the  suddenness  of  the  as- 
sault, for  there  was  no  time  for  him  to  wheel ; 
but  with  a  dexterity  that  seemed  incredible, 
he  instantly  rose  on  his  hind  feet  and  bounded 
clean  over  the  steer.  The  wonder  of  the 
exploit  was  how  the  horse  gathered  himself 
and  applied  his  strength  with  such  astonishing 
quickness,  but  he  did  it  like  a  trained  gymnast, 
his  rider  maintaining  his  seat  without  diffi- 
culty and  feeling  a  thrill  of  admiration  at  the 
amazing  skill  of  his  steed. 


256  THE  GREAT   CATTLE  TEAIL. 

If  a  dumb  animal  can  ever  show  surprise, 
the  steer  displayed  it  at  the  action  of  the  mus- 
tang. Having  made  his  lunge  with  his  horns, 
he  must  have  become  aware  that,  instead  of 
piercing  flesh  and  blood,  they  clove  vacancy 
only.  With  his  head  aloft,  and  snorting  with 
anger,  he  stared  where  the  horse  and  rider 
were  a  moment  before,  but  where  now  they 
were  not. 

He  looked  to  the  right  and  left,  as  if  un- 
able to  comprehend  what  had  become  of 
them.  Captain  Shirril  was  seated  motion- 
less on  his  steed,  several  hundred  yards  dis- 
tant, and,  if  the  steer  decided  for  a  moment 
in  his  own  mind  that  he  was  the  individual 
he  was  looking  for,  he  must  have  been  puz- 
zled to  know  how  it  was  his  horse  traveled 
so  far  in  such  an  amazingly  brief  space  of 
time. 

The  sound  of  hoofs  caused  the  animal  to 
look  on  the  other  side  of  him,  where,  sure 
enough,  only  a  short  distance  off  was  the 
identical  offender,  calmly  surveying  him  as  if 
plotting  further  mischief. 

Instantly  the   head  of    the  steer  dropped 


A  MISHAP.  257 

again,  and  he  was  in  the  act  of  charging  with 
the  same  impetuosity  as  before,  when  he 
changed  his  mind,  and,  instead  of  becom- 
ing a  pursuer,  resumed  the  character  of  a 
fugitive. 


17 


CHAPTEK  XXIX. 

OLD  ACQUAINTANCES. 

"TTTITHOUT  hesitation  the  mustang  was 
V  V  after  the  stubborn  steer  again,  show- 
ing less  fear  than  before,  though  he  main- 
tained a  sharp  lookout  against  a  repetition  of 
the  attack.  It  may  have  been  that  the  dex- 
terous manner  in  which  he  had  just  eluded 
the  brute  gave  him  self-confidence,  as  it 
weakened  that  of  the  fugitive  without  less- 
ening his  obduracy,  for  he  took  care  that  the 
line  of  his  flight  led  straight  away  from  his 
own  herd. 

With  the  same  care  Thunderbolt  began 
edging  up,  and,  in  a  brief  while,  his  head 
was  abreast  of  the  haunch  of  the  steer,  and 
steadily  gaining.  Avon  now  leaned  over  the 
right  shoulder  of  his  mustang,  and  reaching 
forward  and  downward,  seized  the  tail  of  the 
steer,  and  in  a  flash  twisted  all  that  was  suffi- 


OLD   ACQUAINTANCES.  259 

ciently  flexible  around  the  horn  of  his  saddle. 
At  the  same  instant  he  called  sharply  to 
Thunderbolt,  who  made  a  vicious  bound  to 
the  left,  and  the  steer,  with  a  short  bellow  of 
pain,  went  down  with  fearful  violence. 

But  he  was  not  yet  conquered.  As  full  of 
energy  and  obstinacy  as  ever,  he  seemed  to 
leap  to  his  feet  as  if  made  of  rubber,  but  with- 
out attempting  to  resent  the  indignity  he  had 
suffered,  he  continued  his  impetuous  flight. 

The  brief  interval  had  given  Avon  time  in 
which  to  uncoil  his  rope.  Instead  of  flinging 
it  over  the  horns  of  the  steer  he  dexterously 
caught  the  loop  around  one  of  his  hind  legs, 
and  jerked  it  taut  with  the  quickness  of  light- 
ning. Down  went  the  animal  again,  kicking 
and  bellowing  and  struggling  hard  to  regain 
his  feet. 

The  youth  allowed  him  to  succeed,  when, 
with  the  help  of  the  mustang,  he  was  thrown 
again.  This  was  repeated  several  times,  until 
it  was  apparent  that  the  captive  was  subdued. 
Finally,  after  receiving  another  fall,  he 
refused  to  try  to  regain  his  feet. 

Avon  now  managed  to  loosen  the  loop  suffi- 


260  THE   GREAT   CATTLE  TRAIL. 

ciently  to  slip  it  off  the  imprisoned  leg. 
Then,  holding  several  coils  in  his  grasp,  he 
reached  over  and  gave  the  panting  animal 
several  resounding  whacks  on  his  ribs. 

He  smiled  as  the  brute  hastily  clambered 
up,  and,  turning  his  nose  toward  the  other 
cattle  a  considerable  distance  off,  broke  into  a 
trot  after  them,  still  bellowing  as  if  asking 
them  to  wait  until  he  could  join  them.  No 
refractory  urchin  was  ever  brought  to  terms 
with  more  completeness  than  was  the  defiant 
steer. 

Now  that  the  disciplined  animal  was  travel- 
ling in  the  right  direction,  his  conqueror  also 
faced  Captain  Shirril,  who  had  been  watching 
him  with  much  interest,  while  the  cattle  were 
stringing  along  at  a  rapid  gallop  in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  ridge  beyond  which  lay  the 
invisible  camp  of  the  cowmen. 

The  lull  in  the  stirring  proceeding  led  Avon 
to  recall  the  mishap  of  Shackaye,  who  had 
escaped  the  horns  of  the  other  steer  by  such  a 
narrow  chance.  He  cast  his  eye  toward  the 
body  of  the  dead  animal  plainly  seen  across 
the~prairie,  but  the  young  Comanche  himself 


OLD   ACQUAINTANCES.  261 

was  not  in  sight.  He  concluded  that  he  must 
have  remounted  his  mustang  and  galloped 
back  to  camp.  Possibly  he  had  received  some 
injury  from  his  fall  which  placed  it  beyond 
his  power  to  help  in  the  work  of  gathering  the 
stray  members  of  the  herd. 

Avon  turned  his  attention  to  his  relative, 
when  he  was  astonished  to  perceive  fully  a 
dozen  horsemen  a  short  distance  off  between 
him  and  the  ridge. 

The  first  natural  thought  of  the  youth  was 
that  the  party  at  the  camp  had  ridden  out  to 
their  help,  but  he  instantly  saw  that  such 
could  not  be  the  case,  since  there  were  so 
many  of  them,  and  it  did  not  require  a  second 
glance  to  ascertain  that  each  one  was  a 
mounted  Indian. 

The  first  emotion  following  this  discovery 
was  that  of  a  wonderment  as  to  what  it  could 
all  mean.  It  was  not  remarkable  that  they 
should  encounter  Indians,  while  crossing  the 
section  set  apart  especially  for  their  occu- 
pancy, nor  was  anything  to  be  feared  from 
them  unless  the  temptation  to  violence  became 
unusually  strong  on  the  part  of  the  red  men. 


262       THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

But  there  was  something  ominous  in  the 
sudden  and  singular  appearance  of  these  dusky 
plainsmen.  They  had  shown  up  unexpectedly, 
the  indication  being  that  they  had  emerged 
from  a  group  of  hills  a  short  distance  to  the 
eastward.  Colonel  Sclevinger  and  his  herd 
were  beyond  sight,  so  that  the  two  friends 
were  in  anything  but  a  pleasant  situation, 

But  while  it  looked  as  if  the  Indians  must 
be  friendly  from  force  of  circumstances,  their 
conduct  justified  the  grave  alarm  Avon  felt  on 
first  seeing  them.  Perceiving  they  were  dis- 
covered, they  broke  into  a  rapid  gallop  beyond 
the  unsuspicious  Captain  Shirril,  spreading 
apart  like  a  fan,  as  if  they  meant  to  inclose 
him  in  the  circle  beyond  escape. 

A  shout  from  the  young  man  caused  his 
uncle  to  look  around,  when  he  discovered 
what  was  going  on.  He  instantly  touched 
his  animal  with  his  spurs  and  sent  him 
swiftly  toward  Avon,  who  advanced  to  meet 
him. 

"  What  does  it  mean  ?"  asked  the  younger 
as  they  came  together. 

"It  means  mischief,"   was  the  reply.     "I 


OLD   ACQUAINTANCES.  263 

believe  some  of  them  belong  to  the  party  that 
tried  to  burn  our  house." 

"  Then  they  are  Comanches  ? " 

"Everyone  of  them — where's  Shackaye?" 
abruptly  asked  the  captain,  as  if  the  naming 
of  the  tribe  had  recalled  that  interesting 
youth  to  his  mind. 

"I  shouldn't  wonder  if  he  were  among 
them,"  replied  Avon,  with  a  certain  grim 
pleasure,  as  he  recalled  the  faith  his  uncle 
had  shown  in  the  savage  in  the  face  of  Glee- 
son's  warnings. 

"Like  enough,"  remarked  the  captain, 
watching  the  actions  of  the  warriors,  who  had 
diverged  so  far  already  that  it  was  impossible 
for  the  couple  to  escape  in  any  direction  with- 
out coming  in  collision  with  them;  "we've 
got  to  stand  them  off." 

Without  any  appearance  of  alarm  in  his 
manner  Captain  Shirril  slipped  down  from  his 
saddle,  his  nephew  being  but  a  few  seconds 
behind  him,  and  the  two  coolly  prepared  to 
make  a  stand  against  the  attack  of  the 
Comanches. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

AT  BAY. 

CAPTAIN  SHIRRIL  and  his  nephew 
Vy  placed  their  ponies  beside  each  other, 
with  a  space  of  only  a  few  feet  intervening. 
Then,  standing  on  the  ground,  they  rested 
their  Winchesters  across  the  saddles,  facing  in 
opposite  directions,  and  were  ready  for  the 
assault  of  the  red  men,  who  were  circling  back 
and  forth  and  gradually  drawing  nearer  to 
them. 

"Keep  cool,"  said  the  captain,  "and,  when 
you  fire,  don't  throw  away  a  shot." 

They  were  a  mile  from  camp,  and,  as  soon 
as  the  shooting  began,  it  ought  to  attract  the 
notice  of  the  rest,  who  were  sure  to  hurry  to 
the  spot.  There  was  reason  to  believe  the 
Indians  could  be  held  off  for  a  long  time,  and, 
brave  as  they  were,  it  was  not  to  be  expected 
that  they  would  maintain  their  ground  before 

284 


AT  BAY.  265 

such  a  charge  as  the  cowboys  would  make, 
and  had  made  a  short  time  before. 

The  warriors  were  armed  with  excellent 
rifles,  and  belonged  to  a  tribe  that  is  un- 
surpassable in  horsemanship.  Several  had 
blankets  on  their  mustangs,  but  most  were 
without  even  that  protection,  being  bareback, 
while  few  possessed  anything  in  the  nature  of 
a  bridle.  The  well-trained  steeds,  as  we  have 
shown,  were  perfectly  managed  by  word  and 
touch,  and  often  seemed  to  divine  the  wishes 
of  their  riders,  without  word  or  movement  on 
their  part. 

But,  daring  as  were  the  latter,  they  knew 
the  peril  involved  in  assailing  two  well-armed 
white  men  at  bay.  They  continued  their 
rapid  galloping  at  a  safe  distance,  some  of 
them  describing  a  complete  circle  around  the 
couple,  who  were  quietly  awaiting  the  chances 
for  effective  work. 

Before  long  the  assailants  began  operations. 
Hardly  one  retained  an  upright  position 
on  his  steed  for  more  than  a  few  seconds 
at  a  time.  *  They  flung  themselves  forward,  as 
if  in  wantonness,  their  painted  faces  appear- 


266  THE   GREAT   CATTLE  TRAIL. 

ing  below  their  horses'  necks,  with  their  long 
black  hair  streaming  away,  as  if  it  were  a  part 
of  the  mane  of  their  steeds.  Then  they 
extended  themselves  seemingly  along  the 
spine  of  their  animals,  as  if  for  slumber  in  the 
sun.  While  the  steeds  sped  back  and  forth, 
the  riders  lolled  here  and  there  on  their 
backs,  as  though  it  was  impossible  for  them 
to  lose  their  balance.  Trying  as  were  the 
circumstances,  Captain  Shirril  could  not  help 
admiring  the  equestrian  exhibition,  which 
could  not  have  been  excelled. 

But  he  quickly  proved  that  he  meant  busi- 
ness of  the  most  serious  kind.  He  fixed  his 
attention  on  one  of  the  half-naked  miscreants, 
who  was  not  only  nearer  than  any  of  his  com- 
panions, but  kept  edging  closer.  For  a  time, 
he  maintained  himself  on  the  further  side  of 
his  mustang,  seeming  to  hold  himself  in  place 
by  the  toe  of  one  of  his  moccasins  thrust  over 
the  spine  at  the  haunches,  with  hardly  less 
significant  help  from  a  hand  at  the  base  of  the 
neck. 

When  the  horse  wheeled  to  return  over  his 
own  trail,  as  he  frequently  did,  the  matchless 


AT  BAY.  267 

rider,  with  a  grace  that  was  inimitable,  swung 
himself  over  in  a  corresponding  position  on 
the  other  side,  so  as  to  preserve  the  body  of 
his  steed  as  a  shield. 

Without  warning,  he  discharged  his  rifle 
from  beneath  the  neck  of  the  animal,  and  the 
excellence  of  his  aim  was  proven  by  the  whiz 
of  the  bullet  near  the  head  of  Captain  Shirril. 

But  the  latter  was  not  disturbed.  He  was 
biding  his  time,  and  knew  the  opportunity 
was  near. 

Suddenly  the  mustang  wheeled  again.  At 
the  moment  of  doing  so,  he  was  closer  to  the 
defenders  than  at  any  period  before.  The 
rider  rose  to  view  for  a  moment,  like  a  leaper 
going  over  a  fence  sideways.  Then  as  he 
descended  on  the  other  side  of  the  steed,  he 
continued  descending  until  he  struck  the 
ground,  where  he  rolled  over  a  single  time 
and  never  stirred  again. 

At  the  critical  instant,  Captain  Shirril  had 
fired.  An  ear-splitting  screech  followed,  and 
that  particular  Comanche  was  eliminated  from 
the  problem  that  confronted  him. 

The  riderless  horse  flung  up  his  head,  with 


268  THE  GREAT   CATTLE   TRAIL. 

a  whinny  of  affright,  and,  looking  hither  and 
thither,  as  if  unable  to  understand  the  mean- 
ing of  the  occurrence,  dashed  off  to  join  his 
companions,  further  away  on  the  prairie. 

The  thin  puff  of  smoke  had  not  lifted  from 
before  the  captain's  face,  when  his  nephew  let 
fly  at  one  of  the  warriors,  who  was  extended 
along  the  back  of  his  animal,  as  if  inviting 
a  shot.  Avon  missed,  and  the  Indian,  with 
astonishing  quickness,  brought  his  own  gun 
to  a  level  and  fired  in  return.  The  ball 
nipped  the  brim  of  his  sombrero,  passing  so 
close  that  for  a  second  the  youth  believed  he 
was  hit. 

The  situation  was  growing  serious,  and, 
since  this  particular  Comanche  was  so  defiant, 
Avon  decided  that  the  occasion  was  a  good 
one  for  the  use  of  a  repeating  weapon.  With- 
out pausing  to  take  special  aim,  he  fired  three 
times  in  rapid  succession  at  his  foe. 

Though  the  latter  escaped  for  the  moment, 
his  steed  was  less  fortunate.  He  was  hit  hard 
by  the  first  shot,  while  the  last  brought  him 
to  earth  with  a  bullet  through  his  brain. 

His  rider  was  too  nimble  to  be  caught  by 


AT  BAY.  269 

the  fall,  but,  leaping  clear,  ran  swiftly  across 
the  plain  in  the  effort  to  get  beyond  reach  of 
the  rifle,  which  seemed  to  be  raining  bullets 
all  around  him.  His  courage  had  given  place 
to  panic,  and  as  he  ran  he  bounded  from  side 
to  side  and  up  and  down  with  the  grotesque 
contortions  of  a  Digger  Indian  when  seeking 
to  baffle  the  aim  of  an  enemy. 

Avon  continued  his  fusillade,  and  by  a  piece 
of  pure  accident  winged  the  fugitive.  He 
did  not  fall,  but  the  height  of  his  leap  and  the 
resonance  of  his  outcry,  instantly  succeeded 
by  a  pronounced  limp  in  his  gait,  left  no 
doubt  that  he  had  gotten  in  the  path  of  the 
hurtling  messenger. 

" How  are  you  making  out,  Baby?"  asked 
Captain  Shirrel,  turning  his  head  and  coolly 
scrutinizing  his  relative. 

"Only  fairly,"  replied  Avon,  replenishing 
the  magazine  of  his  gun  and  keeping  his  gaze 
on  the  plain  in  front. 

"It  is  well  enough  to  drop  a  mustang,  but 
it  is  better  to  tumble  their  riders  off  them." 

"I  meant  to  do  that,  but  failed." 

The  natural  supposition  of  the  friends  was 


270       THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TKAIL. 

that  the  hot  reception  they  had  given  their 
assailants  would  check  them,  and  cause  their 
withdrawal  beyond  the  deadly  range  of  their 
Winchesters.  The  reports  must  have  reached 
the  cowboys,  and  both  glanced  at  the  ridge  to 
the  west,  over  which  they  expected  to  see 
their  comrades  coming  to  their  rescue. 

But  the  Comanches  could  not  have  failed  to 
know  of  the  presence  of  others  near  at  hand, 
which  fact  warned  them  that  whatever  they 
did  must  be  done  quickly.  Instead  of  falling 
back,  therefore,  because  of  the  loss  of  a  single 
warrior  and  steed,  they  rallied  and  pushed 
the  fight  with  greater  vigor  than  ever. 

In  the  face  of  the  cracking  Winchesters  they 
rode  closer  than  before,  and  then  branching 
apart,  put  their  animals  on  a  run  while  they 
discharged  their  guns  from  every  conceivable 
position.  Instead  of  wheeling  about  as  at 
first,  they  kept  them  straight  away  on  the 
circle,  which  being  less  than  before,  enabled 
them  to  circumnavigate  the  defenders  in  a 
brief  space  of  time. 

The  captain  and  his  nejrtiew  had  their  hands 
full,  for  assailants  were  on  every  side  of  them, 


AT  BAY.  271 

and  the  popping  of  their  guns  was  continuous. 
The  attack  was  so  serious,  and  the  defenders 
were  in  such  a  conspicuous  position,  that  it 
was  impossible  to  escape  the  storm  of  bullets 
flying  all  around  them. 

A  quick  start  on  the  part  of  Thunderbolt 
showed  that  he  had  been  hit,  while  almost  at 
the  same  moment  the  rearing  of  the  captain's 
mustang  proved  that  he,  too,  was  hurt. 

"Make  your  horse  lie  down,"  called  the 
elder. 

Avon  had  already  determined  on  this  re- 
course, and  seizing  the  head  of  his  animal  he 
ordered  him  down.  Thunderbolt  was  well 
trained,  but  the  hurt  already  received  made 
him  restless,  and  his  young  master  had  to 
engage  in  a  partial  struggle  before  he  gathered 
his  legs  under  him  and  rolled  over  on  his 
side. 

The  instant  he  did  so  Avon  knelt  behind  his 
body  and  was  in  the  most  favorable  posture 
for  defense. 

Captain  ShirriPs  task  proved  more  difficult. 
His  horse  refused  to  go  down  at  his  command, 
and  it  was  necessary  to  throw  him.  He  re- 


272  THE  GREAT   CATTLE  TKAIL. 

sisted  with  such  vigor  that  his  owner  dropped 
his  rifle  and  was  forced  to  use  his  utmost 
strength  before  he  could  trip  and  bring  him  to 
the  earth.  He  still  fought,  and  the  captain, 
losing  patience  for  the  moment,  forgot  the 
whistling  missiles  and  gave  his  whole  atten- 
tion to  the  brute,  which  he  speedily  con- 
quered. 

Avon  was  on  the  point  of  offering  help,  when 
he  perceived  that  the  mustang  was  mastered, 
and  he  once  more  turned  to  the  enemy,  now 
pressing  his  advantage  to  the  utmost. 

The  Comanches  were  so  close,  and  the  oppor- 
tunity for  aiming  effectively  was  so  good,  that 
the  shots  of  the  youth  began  to  tell.  Had  the 
red  men  been  compelled  to  maintain  one  posi- 
tion in  front,  a  single  person  with  a  repeating 
Winchester  could  have  stood  off  the  whole 
party  ;  but,  as  has  been  explained,  the  Indians 
were  on  every  hand. 

But  Avon  was  not  throwing  away  his  car- 
tridges. The  very  first  shot  bored  its  way 
through  the  bronzed  skull  of  a  shrieking  war- 
rior, and  the  second  slew  his  pony  with  such 
suddenness  that  the  two  rolled  together  on  the 


AT  BAY.  273 

plain,  the  warrior  being  unable  to  extricate 
himself  from  beneath  his  struggling  mustang. 

The  young  man,  finding  no  one  in  his  imme- 
diate front,  turned  toward  a  couple  that  were 
advancing  from  another  point,  but  before  he 
could  make  his  aim  sure,  he  was  shocked  to 
hear  a  groan  from  Captain  Shirril. 

uAre  you  hit?"  asked  the  nephew,  turning 
his  scared  face  toward  him. 

"  Yes,  but  still  able  to  do  something  ;  bring 
your  horse  to  his  feet  and  make  a  dash  for  the 
camp.  There  isn't  an  earthly  chance  for  us 
here." 

"But  I  cannot  leave  you,  uncle,  and,  if  I 
could  it  would  be  impossible  to  run  the 
gauntlet." 

"It's  our  only  hope  ;  my  horse  is  too  badly 
hurt  to  carry  me  off,  but  you  may  succeed, 
if  you  ride  hard." 

"  It  won't  do,"  replied  the  nephew,  who, 
had  the  prospect  been  ten-fold  more  favora- 
ble, could  not  have  deserted  his  relative  at 
such  a  time. 

"  Hurrah ! "  he  exclaimed  the  next  moment, 
"yonder  come  the  boys!" 

18 


274       THE  GKEAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

He  had  caught  sight  of  their  friends  ap- 
proaching over  the  ridge,  their  animals  on 
a  dead  run. 

uThey  will  be  too  late,"  said  Captain 
Shirril,  whose  horse  at  that  moment  received 
another  shot  and  renewed  his  frantic  struggles 
to  regain  his  feet.  His  owner  interposed,  but, 
he,  too,  was  wounded  and  unable  to  put  forth 
the  strength  that  had  conquered  the  brute  a 
moment  before. 

Avon  would  have  gone  to  his  help  had 
there  been  anything  to  gain  by  it. 

"Let  him  go,"  he  said,  "he  can  do  you  no 
good." 

"  Yes,  he  can  and  he  shall" 

As  he  spoke,  the  captain  whipped  out  his 
revolver  and  drove  a  couple  of  bullets  through 
the  brain  of  the  mustang.  He  expected  him 
to  drop  dead  on  the  instant,  when  he  would 
serve  the  purpose  intended  of  a  breastwork 
for  his  master. 

Avon  had  withdrawn  his  attention  at  the 
critical  moment,  fearful  that  the  Comanches, 
realizing  the  straits  of  himself  and  companion, 
would  overwhelm  them  before  resistance  could 


AT  BAY.  275 

be  offered.  Thus  his  head  was  turned  away 
from  the  mortally  hurt  horse  of  the  captain, 
which,  instead  of  sinking  helpless  to  the 
earth,  made  a  frantic  leap  and  fell  upon  the 
unprepared  youth. 

It  seemed  for  the  moment  as  if  a  moun- 
tain had  descended  upon  him.  He  struggled 
fiercely  to  free  himself,  and  in  his  desperate 
effort  worked  his  head  and  shoulders  clear, 
but  while  trying  to  draw  his  revolver  for  his 
last  defence,  he  succumbed.  The  sunlight 
faded  from  before  his  eyes,  all  became  blank 
darkness,  and  consciousness  departed. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

FLAG   OF  TRUCE. 

THERE  was  nothing  to  cause  apprehen- 
sion on  the  part  of  the  cowboys  in  camp, 
when  they  heard  the  report  of  a  single  rifle 
from  beyond  the  ridge  over  which  Captain 
Shirril,  Avon  Burnet,  and  the  young  Comanche 
Shackaye  had  ridden  in  pursuit  of  the  cattle 
that  went  astray  the  night  before.  One  of  the 
party  might  have  found  a  chance  to  bring 
down  something  in  the  nature  of  game,  which 
is  liable  to  be  encountered  at  every  part  of  the 
Great  Cattle  Trail,  from  the  outskirts  of  the 
capital  of  Texas  to  its  termination  in  the  State 
of  Kansas. 

But  when,  soon  after,  the  shots  came  thick 
and  fast,  it  was  apparent  that  something  un- 
usual was  going  on. 

"  There's  mischief  afoot !  "  called  out  Glee- 
son,  uand  that  Comanche  is  at  the  bottom  of 
it.  Come,  boys  !  " 


276 


FLAG  OF  TRUCE.  277 

There  was  not  an  instant's  hesitation  on  the 
part  of  any  member  of  the  company.  The 
cattle  that  were  quietly  browsing  on  the  suc- 
culent grass  were  left  to  wander  off  or  stam- 
pede themselves,  or  do  whatever  they  chose, 
while  the  cowboys,  including  Nunez,  the  Mex- 
ican, swung  into  their  saddles  and  sped  away 
on  a  dead  run  toward  the  ridge. 

Before  they  reached  it  the  missing  cattle 
came  up  from  the  other  side  and  appeared  on 
the  crest.  The  advent  of  the  steer  that  had 
suffered  so  severely  at  the  hands  of  Avon 
Burnet  imparted  a  mild  panic  to  the  others, 
so  that  the  whole  lot  were  on  a  trot.  The 
horsemen  were  in  too  great  haste  to  turn  aside, 
and  the  animals,  therefore,  swerved  to  the 
right  and  continued  their  brisk  gait  in  the 
direction  of  the  main  herd. 

As  has  been  said,  every  mustang  was  run- 
ning at  the  highest  speed,  but  the  impetuous 
Gleeson  maintained  his  place  in  front,  and 
thundered  up  the  slope  as  if  his  own  life  were 
at  stake.  Before  he  struck  the  crest,  he  rose 
in  his  box-stirrups  and  peered  over  at  the 
plain  beyond. 


278       THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

"Just  what  I  expected!"  he  exclaimed, 
"and  that  Shackaye  has  done  it!" 

It  was  not  necessary  to  explain,  for,  before 
he  could  have  done  so,  his  comrades  caught 
sight  of  the  stirring  scene  which  thrilled  their 
leader.  Captain  Shirril  and  his  nephew  were 
standing  off  a  party  of  dusky  assailants,  who 
were  pressing  them  hard.  The  two  mustangs 
were  plainly  seen,  while  the  flashes  of  the 
Winchesters  from  behind  them  told  the  story 
as  eloquently  as  if  the  cowboys  were  actual 
participants  in  the  affray. 

Not  another  word  was  uttered  by  the  latter, 
but  pressing  their  spurs  deep  into  the  flanks  of 
their  horses  they  sent  them  with  arrowy  haste 
straight  toward  the  spot.  They  had  hardly 
reached  the  base  of  the  slope  when  they  held 
their  breath,  for  they  saw  the  crisis  had  come. 
The  red  men  were  closing  around  the  two  com- 
batants as  if  they  realized  that  whatever  was 
to  be  accomplished  must  be  done  within  the 
succeeding  few  seconds. 

Half  the  distance  was  passed,  when  the  Co- 
manches  were  observed  scurrying  toward  a 
mass  of  hills  hardly  a  half-mile  distant.  They 


FLAG  OF  TRUCE.  279 

rode  so  closely  that  the  cowboys  failed  to  note 
the  momentous  fact  that  they  bore  a  prisoner 
with  them. 

In  such  emergencies  a  party  of  American 
Indians  generally  manage  to  carry  off  their 
dead  and  wounded,  but  the  haste  was  too 
urgent  in  this  case.  The  stark  figures  were 
left  stretched  on  the  prairies  where  they  had 
fallen,  and  a  number  of  animals  also  lay  mo- 
tionless near.  The  wounded  were  taken  care 
of,  but  the  dead  were  left  to  bury  the  dead. 

The  cowboys  discharged  a  score  of  shots  at 
the  Comanches,  but  the  distance  was  too  great 
to  accomplish  anything,  and,  seeing  that  it 
was  impossible  to  overtake  them  before  they 
reached  the  shelter  of  the  wooded  hills,  Glee- 
son  led  the  party  toward  the  spot  where  they 
believed  their  friends  needed  instant  care. 

The  prostrate  horses,  and  a  partial  glimpse 
of  a  figure  lying  between  them,  caused  the 
rescuers  to  believe  that  the  captain  and  his 
nephew  were  either  slain  outright  or  badly 
hurt. 

The  approaching  mustangs  kept  up  their 
run  until  they  were  thrown  on  their  haunches 


280  THE   GREAT   CATTLE  TKAIL. 

with  such  suddenness  that  the  shock  seemed 
to  fling  the  riders  from  their  saddles.  They 
leaped  forward,  and  vigorous  arms  quickly 
lifted  the  body  of  the  captain's  horse  from  off 
young  Burnet,  who  opened  his  eyes  and 
looked  up  with  that  faint  wildness  which 
showed  he  had  no  conception  of  the 
situation. 

4 <  Where's  the  captain?" 

This  was  the  question  that  was  asked  by 
several,  as  all  glared  around  for  their  leader. 
Before  anyone  attempted  an  answer,  others 
examined  the  nephew  and  found  he  was  with- 
out a  wound.  He  had  swooned  under  the 
sudden  pressure  of  the  horse  shot  by  his 
uncle,  but  he  quickly  recovered,  and,  after 
being  assisted  to  his  feet  and  shaking  him- 
self together,  everything  came  back  to  him. 
Turning  to  Thunderbolt  he  ordered  him  to 
rise,  and  the  animal  obeyed.  He  had  received 
a  couple  of  flesh-wounds,  which  stung  him  for 
the  moment  without  incapacitating  him  for 
effective  service. 

Then,  in  as  few  words  as  possible,  Avon  told 
}ris  story.  He  rememberecf  that  his  uncle  was 


FLAG  OP  TRUCE.  281 

wounded  before  Ms  horse  was  killed,  and  it 
was  self-evident  to  everyone  that  the  poor 
man  had  been  carried  off  by  the  Comanches. 

"DicT  you  see  Shackaye  among  'em?" 
asked  Gleeson,  his  face  like  a  thunder-cloud. 

"He  was  not  with  those  who  attacked  us  ; 
I  could  not  have  failed  to  see  him  if  he  had 
been." 

uBut  what  became  of  him?  He  started  off 
with  you,  and  you  must  have  parted  some- 
where on  the  road." 

Young  Burnet  now  told  about  Shackaye's 
encounter  with  the  steer  which  came  near  slay- 
ing him.  Avon's  pursuit  of  the  other  trouble- 
some animal  withdrew  all  attention  from  him, 
and  there  was  no  certainty  of  the  manner  of 
his  disappearance,  which,  to  say  the  least,  was 
extraordinary. 

But  the  absence  of  Captain  Shirril  forbade 
that  the  cowboys  should  waste  time  in  idle- 
ness. Instinctively  every  eye  was  turned 
toward  the  hills  to  the  eastward  among 
which  the  Comanches  had  vanished  with  their 
captive. 

"They  haven't  had  time  to  go  far,"  said 


282  THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

Zach  Collis,  "and  if  we  ride  hard  we  shall 
soon  run  'em  down." 

"But  is  it  best  to  try  that?"  was  the  ques- 
tion of  Ward  Burrell,  or  Old  Bronze. 

Gleeson,  who  was  naturally  looked  upon  as 
the  leader,  shook  his  head.  "They'll  brain 
him  the  minute  there's  a  chance  of  losing 
him." 

"But  why  did  they  take  him  off  and  spare 
me?"  asked  the  astonished  Avon. 

"They  thought  you  was  dead  and  so  didn't 
bother  with  you." 

"  Why  did  they  make  him  prisoner  instead 
of  doing  what  they  had  been  trying  so  long  to 
do— kill  him?" 

"He's  of  more  account  than  you  ;  Tie  was 
the  chap  they  was  after,  and  not  you." 

"It  looked  for  a  time  as  though  they  had 
designs  on  me." 

The  words  of  the  Texan  acted  like  a  damper 
on  the  ardor  of  his  companions,  who  were  eager 
to  hasten  to  the  rescue  of  their  captain.  Had 
they  not  known  that  he  was  wounded,  it  is 
likely  they  would  have  insisted  upon  an  in- 
stant and  vigorous  pursuit ;  but  none  failed 


FLAG   OF  TRUCE.  283 

to  see  the  truth  of  Gleeson's  utterances,  though 
it  was  only  a  few  minutes  before  that  he  was 
as  impatient  as  any  of  them. 

"Boys,"  said  he,  observing  that  they  were 
looking  at  him,  "I  think  you  know  what  all 
this  means  as  well  as  I  do.  If  we  had  5em  out 
on  the  plains  where  there  was  a  fair  chance,  or 
if  the  cap  could  put  in  some  licks  for  himself, 
it  would  be  different ;  but  they're  among  them 
hills  over  there  ;  they're  watching  us  now  ;  we 
can't  make  a  move  that  they  won't  know  it 
the  minute  it's  started  ;  they've  got  it  on  us, 
and  just  as  soon  as  they  see  there's  any  show 
of  losing  the  cap  they'll  finish  him." 

"Ballyhoo  is  right,"  remarked  Wyn wood, 
commonly  known  as  Madstone  ;  ll  they've  got 
us  foul." 

"That  being  so,  there  aint  any  use  for  you, 
pards ;  so  go  back  to  camp,  look  after  the 
cattle,  and  leave  things  to  me." 

The  meaning  of  this  proposition,  which  may 
sound  strange  to  the  reader,  was  that  the  only 
possible  way  of  saving  Captain  Shirril  was  by 
negotiating  for  his  release.  The  fact  that  the 
Comanches  knew  he  was  in  charge  of  two 


284       THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

thousand  cattle,  and  had  made  him  prisoner 
instead  of  slaying  him,  established  this  truth 
in  the  minds  of  Oscar  Gleeson  and  his  com- 
rades. 

Furthermore,  the  Texan  was  confirmed  in  his 
belief  that  the  act  of  Shackaye  in  joining  the 
company  before  the  start  was  the-  first  step  in 
an  elaborate  plot.  It  was  his  province  to  win 
the  confidence  of  the  captain,  and  to  commu- 
nicate, in  the  many  secret  ways  so  well  under- 
stood by  his  people,  with  the  Comanches,  and 
to  help  when  the  time  came  for  the  important 
movement. 

His  absence  at  the  critical  period  gave  color 
to  this  theory.  Circumstances  had  helped  the 
treacherous  red  men,  for  it  was  as  if  Captain 
Shirril  walked  directly  into  the  trap  set  by 
them. 

It  was  a  brave  act  on  Gleeson' s  part  to  ven- 
ture alone  among  the  hills  in  the  hope  of 
opening  communication  with  the  red  men, 
when,  if  there  was  any  mistake,  he  would  be 
completely  at  their  mercy.  But  he  had 
uttered  his  decision  with  the  air  and  manner 
of  one  who  would  brook  no  dispute.  He 


FLAG   OF  TRUCE.  285 

waved  his  friends  off,  and,  wheeling  about, 
they  rode  in  the  direction  of  the  camp,  fre- 
quently looking  back  at  the  daring  fellow 
who  realized  as  fully  as  they  the  delicate  and 
perilous  task  he  had  taken  upon  himself. 

Beaching  the  top  of  the  ridge  which  has 
been  referred  to  so  often,  the  first  glance  was 
at  the  herd  of  cattle,  which  it  was  instantly 
seen  required  looking  after.  They  had 
drifted  far  to  the  westward,  and  were  so  scat- 
tered as  to  need  rounding-up  in  a  general  way 
or  rather  herding.  Everything  was  favorable 
for  good  progress  that  day,  since  the  stream 
to  be  crossed  was  small  and  shallow,  and  the 
sky  was  not  only  clear  but  the  air  just  crisp 
enough  to  render  travelling  pleasant.  But 
there  was  no  thought  of  going  forward  until 
the  fate  of  the  captain  was  settled. 

With  only  a  brief  halt  the  cowboys  spurred 
their  mustangs  down  the  slope  to  attend  to 
the  cattle,  but  Avon  Burnet  remained  on  the 
crest,  his  interest  lying  elsewhere. 

There  was  only  a  single  small  field  glass  in 
the  company,  and  as  it  happened  that  was  in 
the  possession  of  Captain  Shirril,  so  that  the 


286  THE  GEEAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

youth  had  to  depend  upon  his  unaided  vision. 
But  the  atmosphere  in  the  Southwest  is  gen- 
erally of  crystalline  clearness,  and  he  was  able 
to  see  his  friend  quite  plainly  until  the  hill 
beyond  should  hide  him  from  view. 

At  the  moment  Avon  turned  the  head  of 
his  horse  toward  the  east,  the  Texan  was 
quite  close  to  the  place  where  the  Comanches 
had  taken  refuge  with  their  prisoner.  His 
horse  was  walking  slowly,  and  it  was  evident 
he  was  on  the  watch  for  some  sign  from  the 
red  men  who  held  the  key  to  the  situation. 
As  he  drew  nearer  his  mustang  moved  still 
more  deliberately,  until  it  was  hard  to  decide 
whether  he  was  advancing  at  all. 

Looking  closely,  however,  he  perceived  that 
Gleeson's  progress  had  not  ceased,  and  he 
was  making  some  kind  of  signal.  He  had 
removed  the  handkerchief  from  around  his 
neck,  and  was  fluttering  it  over  his  head. 
Although  its  color  debarred  it  from  serving 
as  the  regulation  flag  of  truce,  there  was  little 
doubt  that  the  meaning  of  its  owner  would  be 
understood  by  whomsoever  saw  it. 

"Ah,  there  they  are!" 


FLAG  OF  TRUCE.  287 

This  exclamation  was  uttered  a  few  minutes 
later,  when  the  watcher  on  the  crest  caught 
sight,  not  of  one  but  of  two  Indians,  who 
emerged  from  the  hills  on  foot.  They  walked 
directly  toward  the  Texan,  their  actions 
proving  that  they  appeared  in  answer  to  his 
signal. 

Gleeson,  on  perceiving  them,  brought  his 
steed  to  a  stand  still  and  awaited  their  com- 
ing.  None  could  have  known  better  than  he 
that  he  was  within  range  of  the  companions 
of  these  two  warriors,  who  could  shoot  him 
from  his  horse  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye. 

"And  they  will  do  it,  too,"  said  Avon  to 
himself,  as  the  thought  came  to  him  ;  "but  I 
believe  I  shall  take  a  hand  in  this  business." 

And,  without  waiting  to  observe  the  result 
of  the  interview,  the  young  man  set  out  to 
execute  an  extraordinary  resolution  that  was 
formed  on  the  spur  of  the  moment. 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

DIPLOMACY. 

OSCAR  GLEESOJST,  the  Texan,  was  correct 
in  his  suspicion  of  the  purpose  of  the 
Comanches  in  making  Captain  Shirril  their 
prisoner ;  having  secured  possession  of  him, 
they  intended  to  force  a  liberal  ransom  on  the 
part  of  his  friends,  as  a  condition  of  his  res- 
toration to  liberty. 

The  act  was  not  only  an  audacious  one  on 
their  part,  but  it  will  be  perceived  that  the 
fulfilment  of  the  terms  was  certain  to  be  at- 
tended with  the  gravest  difficulty.  The  cow- 
boys were  not  to  be  trifled  with,  and,  since  it 
was  inevitable  that  a  point  would  be  reached 
where  one  party  must  of  necessity  trust  the 
pledges  of  the  other,  a  violent  collision  with 
serious  consequences  appeared  unavoidable. 

It  has  been  shown  that  it  was  not  until  he 
arrived  close  to  the  hills,  among  which  the 


DIPLOMACY.  289 

red  men  had  fled  with  their  captive,  that  there 
was  any  response  to  the  signal  he  displayed 
almost  from  the  first. 

The  moment  he  caught  sight  of  the  two  war- 
riors, he  stopped  his  mustang  and  awaited 
their  approach.  It  was  not  singular  that  a 
man  who  had  crossed  the  Indian  Nation  so  fre- 
quently' as  this  veteran,  recognized  the  couple 
as  Wygwind,  the  chieftain,  and  Kichita, 
whom  he  had  met  more  than  once  and  knew 
to  be  two  of  the  worst  miscreants  belonging  to 
the  American  race. 

With  no  evidence,  however,  of  his  identifica- 
tion, he  deliberately  lowered  his  flag  of  truce, 
and  returning  it  to  its  place  around  his  brawny 
neck,   secured  it    by  tying  the  usual  knot. 
Then  with  a  half  military  salute  he  asked : 
"  Is  the  white  man  with  you  hurt  bad  ? " 
"Hurt  not  much,"  replied  Wj^gwind,  who 
spoke  English  far  better  than  his  comrade. 
"  Why  did  you  take  him  away  \ " 
The  American  Indian,  as  a  rule,  is  of  melan- 
choly temperament,  but  at  this  question  the 
Comanclie  displayed    an    unmistakable    grin 
which  revealed  his  even  white  teeth. 

19 


290  THE  GEEAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

"We  sell  him— lie  worth  good  much." 

"What  price  do  you  ask  for  him?"  de- 
manded Gleeson,  coming  to  the  point  with 
undiplomatic  abruptness. 

The  expectation  of  the  Texan  was  that  these 
ambassadors  would  demand  a  large  number 
of  cattle,  probably  five  hundred,  in  exchange 
for  their  valuable  captive.  He  ardently  hoped 
that  such  would  prove  the  case,  for  he  had 
already  formed  a  scheme  for  paying  off  the 
rogues  in  their  own  coin. 

His  intention  was  to  transfer  the  cattle, 
managing  the  payment,  however,  with  such 
care  that  all  breach  of  faith  on  the  part  of  the 
captain's  enemies  would  be  frustrated.  Then, 
after  he  was  safe  with  his  friends,  and  the 
property  was  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  Co- 
manches,  it  would  be  necessary  for  the  red 
men  to  hold  them.  The  field  would  become 
an  open  one,  and  before  they  could  turn  their 
newly  acquired  property  to  account,  they  were 
likely  to  hear  from  the  original  proprietors. 

But  Wygwind  was  too  shrewd  to  be 
ensnared  in  this  style.  He  and  his  partners, 
in  elaborating  the  scheme  that  had  worked  so 


DIPLOMACY.  291 

well  up  to  this  point,  had  foreseen  the  very 
contingency  in  the  mind  of  the  white  man, 
who  sat  on  his  horse  before  the  delegates. 

"We  take  horses — so  many." 

In  making  this  answer,  Wygwind  raised  the 
fingers  and  thumbs  of  his  hands  twice  in  suc- 
cession. Unable  to  count  a  score  in  the 
English  language,  he  proved  nevertheless  that 
he  had  a  clear  idea  of  the  number,  which  was 
indicated  so  plainly  that  the  Texan  could 
make  no  mistake  as  to  his  meaning. 

Gleeson  was  disappointed  as  well  as  sur- 
prised. Since  each  cowboy  was  provided  with 
at  least  three  horses,  there  were  about  thirty 
with  the  company.  To  turn  two-thirds  of 
these  over  to  the  red  men  would  seriously 
cripple  the  whites,  who  had  still  a  long  jour- 
ney before  them. 

Furthermore,  it  must  effect  a  material 
change  in  the  programme  the  Texan  had 
formed.  Horseflesh  is  as  dear  to  the  red  as 
to  the  white  man,  and,  well  mounted  as  the 
former  would  be  after  the  exchange,  the 
chances  of  recovering  the  property  by  the 
Texans  must  be  reduced  to  the  minimum, 


292  THE  GREAT   CATTLE  TRAIL. 

But  tlie  new  phase  of  affairs  had  to  be  met. 
Suppressing  all  evidence  of  his  feelings,  Glee- 
son  said : 

"  We  have  not  enough  horses  to  give  what 
you  ask ;  we  will  let  you  have  that  many." 

And  he  held  up  the  thumb  and  fingers  of 
his  right  hand.  Wygwind  with  another  grin 
shook  his  head. 

"Take  so  many" — and  he  repeated  the 
gestures  by  which  he  first  indicated  twenty. 

Gleeson  now  doubled  his  offer,  which,  it 
will  be  understood,  was  half  the  price  de- 
manded ;  but  the  wily  Comanche  felt  that  he 
was  in  a  position  to  dictate  terms,  and  re- 
mained inexorable. 

The  Texan  knew  it  was  useless  to  haggle, 
but  he  kept  it  up  with  a  view  of  gaining  time. 
Naturally  keen-witted  and  trained  in  the  sub- 
tlety of  the  dusky  men  of  the  plains,  he 
sought  to  do  more  than  dispute  over  the  con- 
ditions of  a  proposed  bargain.  While  thus 
employed,  he  used  his  senses  to  their  fullest 
extent.  Without  seeming  to  do  so,  he  was 
scrutinizing  the  hills  just  beyond  the  couple, 
on  the  ground  in  front  of  him.  He  sought  to 


DIPLOMACY.  293 

learn  whether  any  of  their  warriors  were  at 
hand.  They  might  have  been,  without  his 
knowledge,  but  the  fact  that  he  saw  no  sign 
of  them  led  him  to  believe  they  were  not 
within  immediate  call. 

Had  he  been  confronted  by  a  single  warrior 
instead  of  a  couple,  the  Texan  would  have 
attempted  an  exploit  in  which  there  was 
hardly  one  chance  in  a  hundred  of  succeed- 
ing. It  was  to  seize  the  warrior,  make  off 
with  him,  and  then  hold  him  as  a  hostage 
for  the  safety  of  Captain  Shirril. 

True,  this  was  a  violation  of  the  flag  of 
truce,  but  under  the  circumstances  it  would 
not  have  been  one-tenth  as  flagrant  as  that  by 
which  our  government  captured  the  famous 
Seminole  chieftain  Osceola,  and  held  him 
prisoner  until  his  death ;  but  with  two 
doughty  warriors  to  combat,  it  would  seem 
that  nothing  could  be  more  foolhardy  than 
any  such  effort  on  the  part  of  the  Texan. 

And  yet  Gleeson  seriously  asked  himself 
whether  it  was  not  possible  to  shoot  one,  and 
leaping  upon  the  other,  overcome  and  carry 
him  off  before  his  friends  could  interfere.  In 


294  THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

referring  to  it  afterward  he  admitted  its 
absurdity,  and  yet  he  would  have  made  the 
attempt  but  for  a  trifling  discovery  when 
almost  in  the  act  of  taking  the  decisive 
step. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

DRIVEN   TO   THE   WALL. 

THE  discovery  which  checked  Oscar  Glee- 
son  was  the  presence  of  nearly  all  the 
Comanches  within  a  hundred  feet  of  the  war- 
riors that  were  holding  their  conference  with 
him.  The  signs  could  not  be  mistaken,  and 
the  Texan  abandoned  the  hopeless  scheme  he 
had  formed. 

The  Texan  thus  found  himself  forced  back 
upon  the  original  proposition  of  Wygwind, 
which  was  the  ransom  of  the  wounded 
captain  for  twenty  horses.  The  price  under 
the  circumstances  was  large,  but  it  could  not 
be  questioned  that  the  principal  individual 
concerned  would  have  paid  far  more,  for 
"what  will  not  a  man  give  in  exchange  for 
his  life?" 

It  remained  to  decide  upon  the  method  of 
carrying  out  the  agreement,  and  again  the 


296  THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

wily  Wygwind  displayed  his  shrewdness. 
When  the  Texan  referred  in  his  offhand 
manner  to  himself  and  friends  as  bringing  for- 
ward the  animals  to  be  passed  to  these  two 
representatives,  the  Comanche  replied  that  no 
one  but  Gleeson  himself  must  act  in  the  trans- 
action. His  appearance  on  the  crest  of  the 
ridge,  with  the  string  of  horses,  would  be  the 
signal  for  Wygwind  and  Bichita  to  bring  for- 
ward Captain  Shirril  and  to  release  him  simul- 
taneously with  the  driving  forward  of  the 
animals.  The  exchange,  therefore,  could  be 
effected  without  either  party  gaining  the 
upper  hand. 

It  was  thus  the  Comanche  stated  the  situa- 
tion, and  on  the  face  of  it,  everything 
appeared  equitable,  but  it  was  hard  for  the 
Texan  to  repress  his  chagrin,  for  he  saw  that 
every  possible  advantage  remained  with  the 
red  men.  They  would  group  themselves 
among  the  hills,  so  near  that  not  only  the 
prisoner,  but  Gleeson  himself  would  be  within 
range  of  their  rifles,  until  the  last  act  of  the 
drama  should  be  completed.  There  was  no 
chance  for  any  dash  on  the  part  of  the  cow- 


DEIVEN  TO  THE  WALL.  297 

boys,  by  which  they  could  secure  their  leader 
and  save  their  property.  Had  the  Texan 
been  allowed  to  bring  his  party  with  him, 
such  an  attempt  would  have  followed  with  a 
fair  prospect  of  success. 

But  he  had  learned  long  before  to  accept 
the  ills  of  life  with  grim  philosophy,  and  he 
did  not  permit  the  diplomats  to  observe  any 
evidence  of  his  resentment  at  being  over- 
reached by  them.  While  he  was  convinced 
that  they  would  neglect  no  opportunity  to 
break  faith,  he  acted  as  if  there  was  not  a 
doubt  in  his  mind. 

The  agreement  required  him  to  return  to 
camp  to  secure  the  animals,  and  he  intimated 
that  considerable  time  must  elapse  before  the 
exchange  could  be  effected.  Wygwind  as- 
sured him  he  would  be  on  the  watch  for  his 
appearance,  and,  whatever  delay  took  place 
should  not  be  chargeable  to  Mm.  With  this 
understanding,  the  Texan  wheeled  and  gal- 
loped toward  the  ridge,  beyond  which  he 
knew  his  comrades  were  awaiting  his  return 
and  report. 

It  was  received  as  he  expected ;  that  is  to 


298  THE  GREAT   CATTLE  TRAIL. 

say,  the  views  of  his  friends  were  almost  as 
numerous  as  themselves.  Ward,  Burrell,  and 
Andy  Wynwood,  the  cowboys  from  Arkansas, 
declared  that  there  was  but  one  thing  to  do, 
and  that  was  to  accept  the  terms  offered. 
Gleeson  was  quite  certain  the  Comanches 
would  fulfil  their  part  in  spirit  and  letter, 
for  they  could  not  fail  to  know  that  any  at- 
tempted trickery  on  their  part  would  be 
followed  by  an  attack  so  instant  and  fierce 
that  they  must  suffer  severely,  even  with  the 
hill  to  serve  them  for  refuge. 

Zach  Collis  took  the  opposite  view,  main- 
taining that  the  only  result  of  the  plan  would 
be  that  the  Comanches  would  secure  twenty 
valuable  ponies  without  benefiting  Captain 
Shirril  in  the  least.  They  were  so  villainous 
by  nature  that  they  would  shoot  him  down, 
after  he  had  left  their  lines,  and  more  than 
likely  would  bring  Gleeson  himself  from  the 
saddle.  The  New  Mexican  favored  a  pre- 
tended compliance  with  the  proposition.  He 
wished  all  to  ride  to  the  ridge  with  the  horses, 
where  they  would  halt,  while  the  Texan  went 
forward  with  them.  This  would  not  violate 


DRIVEN  TO  THE  WALL.  299 

the  conditions  imposed  by  Wygwind,  and 
they  could  watch  proceedings  from  the  eleva- 
tion. At  the  proper  moment,  when  Gleeson 
saw  the  captain  was  out  of  range,  he  could 
give  the  signal  and  the  company  on  the  ridge 
would  spur  forward  at  headlong  speed,  with 
the  certain  result  of  making  matters  lively 
for  a  time. 

Joseph  George  Garland  advocated  a  fair 
exchange  through  and  through.  He  insisted 
what  no  one  could  dispute,  that  the  red  men 
had  secured  the  upper  hand,  and  it  was  for- 
tunate that  they  were  willing  to  restore  the 
captain  on  any  terms.  If  they  complied  with 
their  pledge,  honor  required  the  whites  to  be 
equally  scrupulous  in  fulfilling  their  agree- 
ment. When  their  leader  rejoined  them,  the 
twenty  horses  became  the  rightful  property  of 
the  Comanches,  though  he  was  willing  to 
admit  they  were  subject  to  reprisal. 

Antonio  Nunez  shrugged  his  shoulders  and 
said  he  was  willing  to  do  whatever  the  others 
decided  upon.  He  had  no  proposition  of  his 
own  to  make. 

"Where's  Baby?"  asked  Gleeson,  looking 


300  THE   GREAT   CATTLE   TEAIL. 

around  with  surprise,  having  missed  him  for 
the  first  time.  "  I  would  like  to  know  what 
he  thinks,  since  every  pard  has  his  own 
views."  % 

The  enquiry  developed  the  fact  that  Avon 
Burnet  had  not  returned  to  camp  since  his 
departure  with  Captain  Shirril  and  Shackaye. 
Had  the  others  not  been  so  busily  occupied, 
immediately  after  their  own  return,  in  looking 
after  the  cattle,  they  would  have  noticed  that 
he  remained  seated  on  his  horse  for  some 
minutes  on  the  crest  of  the  ridge. 

"I  know,"  said  the  Texan,  after  studying 
the  "lay  of  the  land"  for  some  minutes. 
uHe  has  ridden  along  the  ridge  on  this  side 
and  got  among  the  hills  back  of  where  I  was 
talking  with  Wygwind." 

"What  '11  be  the  result  of  that?"  asked 
Hauser  Files,  who  had  not  yet  expressed  his 
views  of  the  situation. 

"It  will  play  the  mischief  with  every- 
thing," was  the  truthful  reply  of  the  Texan, 
who  added  excitedly:  "There  he  comes  now 
as  if  old  Nick  was  after  him  !  " 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

THE   FLANK   MOVEMENT. 

IT  was  singular  that  the  youngest  member 
of  the  cattlemen  should  make  an  impor- 
tant discovery,  which  not  only  escaped  them, 
but,  as  subsequent  events  proved,  was  not 
noticed,  or  at  least  did  not  receive  due  atten- 
tion from  the  Comanches  themselves. 

Avon  Burnet,  from  his  place  on  the  crest 
of  elevation,  was  watching  the  interview  be- 
tween Gleeson  and  the  two  red  men,  when  he 
awoke  to  the  fact  that  the  ridge  joined  and 
formed  a  part  of  the  hills  among  which  the 
Comanches  had  taken  refuge.  That  is  to  say, 
one  had  only  to  follow  the  former  to  reach  the 
broken  swell  containing  the  warriors  and 
their  prisoner. 

If  such  a  ride  were  made  along  the  right 
slope,  the  person  must  be  in  plain  sight  of 
the  Indians ;  if  along  the  crest,  he  would  be 
visible  to  those  on  the  right  and  left,  and,  if 

801 


302  THE  GREAT   CATTLE  TKAIL. 

along  the  left  slope,  the  cowboys  could  see 
him  while  he  would  not  be  perceived  by  the 
red  men  themselves,  unless  they  were  on  the 
watch. 

These  facts  were  apparent  to  Avon  at  the 
first  sweeping  glance  he  cast  to  the  eastward. 
He  wondered  that  they  escaped  the  notice  of 
his  friends,  but  this  was  probably  due  to  their 
attention  being  diverted  for  the  time  by  the 
cattle,  and  because,  too,  of  their  disposition 
to  wait  the  report  of  Gleeson  before  deciding 
upon  their  course  of  action. 

The  thought  instantly  came  to  Avon  that 
if  the  cowboys  would  make  a  sudden  break 
along  the  base  of  the  slope  to  the  left,  they 
could  reach  the  rear  of  the  Comanches,  always 
provided  the  latter  had  taken  no  precautions 
against  such  a  flank  movement.  The  plan  of 
campaign  was  so  inviting  that  he  could  hardly 
believe  it  had  been  overlooked  by  the  red 
men.  At  any  rate,  before  urging  his  friends 
to  adopt  it,  he  decided  to  make  a  little  inves- 
tigation on  his  own  account,  especially  as  he 
believed  sufficient  time  was  at  command. 

Riding,  therefore,  to  the  bottom  of  the  slope, 


THE  FLANK   MOVEMENT.  303 

he  spurred  Thunderbolt  to  a  sharp  gait,  and 
quickly  covered  the  intervening  space,  which 
was  hardly  a  fourth  of  a  mile.  His  mustang 
showed  no  ill  effects  from  the  slight  wounds 
received  during  the  sharp  scrimmage  some 
time  before. 

Avon  was  well  aware  of  the  risk  he  ran,  for, 
if  the  Comanches  were  maintaining  guard, 
they  could  readily  pick  him  off  before  he  could 
withdraw  or  adopt  the  least  precaution,  but  he 
did  not  hesitate.  When  the  ground  became 
more  broken,  he  urged  his  pony  a  short  way 
among  the  hills,  and  then  dismounted.  He 
did  this,  because  he  wished  to  hold  his  line  of 
retreat  open.  The  way  behind  him  was  clear, 
whereas,  if  he  took  his  horse  further,  the 
course  would  become  so  obstructed  that  he 
could  not  mount  and  dash  out  upon  the  plain 
if  it  became  necessary. 

He  expected  to  make  a  long  and  tedious 
search,  with  the  probable  result  of  failure,  so 
far  as  helping  his  relative  was  concerned, 
and  with  the  certainty  of  great  danger  to  him- 
self, but  events  moved  along  with  a  rush,  be- 
fore he  could  anticipate  them. 


304      THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

Convinced  that  he  was  to  the  rear  of  the 
main  party,  he  advanced  with  the  utmost  care. 
The  hills  were  no  more  than  a  hundred  feet 
high  at  their  greatest  elevation,  and  were 
broken  by  gullies,  ravines,  and  trails  that 
appeared  to  have  been  partly  made  by  the 
feet  of  animals,  greatly  helped  by  the  wash- 
ing of  the  severe  storms  which  often  sweep 
over  that  section. 

The  youth  had  penetrated  barely  a  hun- 
dred yards  from  the  point  where  he  left  his 
mustang,  and  was  picking  his  way  cautiously 
forward,  when  he  was  startled  by  hearing 
voices.  The  words  were  too  low  for  him  to 
distinguish  them,  but  he  instantly  stopped 
with  his  Winchester  ready  for  use.  A  col- 
lision seemed  unavoidable,  since  there  was  no 
means  of  concealing  himself  except  by  turn- 
ing about  and  running  back,  and  that  could 
hardly  avail  him. 

The  next  minute  he  was  face  to  face  with 
Shackaye,  the  young  Comanche  that  was  the 
cause  of  all  the  trouble.  The  fellow  was  as 
much  startled  as  he,  and  stopping  short,  partly 
raised  his  gun,  as  if  to  defend  himself. 


THE  FLANK  MOVEMENT.  305 

Before,  however,  either  could  speak  or  make 
any  movements,  Avon  was  astounded  to  catch 
sight  of  his  uncle,  Captain  Shirril,  walking 
slowly  and  evidently  in  pain,  close  behind  him 
along  the  narrow  path.  The  instant  he  de- 
scried his  nephew,  he  raised  his  hand  as  a 
signal  for  him  to  do  nothing. 

"It's  all  right,"  he  said,  in  a  guarded 
voice;  "Shackaye  is  our  friend,  though  he 
hasn't  been  until  now." 

"  How  is  this  ? "  asked  the  youth,  motionless 
and  undecided  whether  to  advance  or  retreat. 

The  broad  face  of  the  dusky  youth  expanded 
with  a  slight  grin,  and  he  replied  : 

"  Shackaye  fall  on  ground — Baby  shoot  steer 
— Shackaye  tell  warriors  Baby  dead — leaving 
him  alone — bringing  way  captain — den  Shack- 
aye  show  captain  way  home — must  hurry — 
Comanche  come ! " 

"Have  you  a  horse  with  you?"  asked  Cap- 
tain Shirril,  crowding  forward,  impatient  to 
improve  the  precious  moments. 

"Yes;  follow  me." 

The  prisoner  had  been  deprived  of  all  his 
weapons,  and  was  suffering  from  the  severe 
20 


306       THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

hurts  received,  but  lie  roused  himself  and 
moved  forward  at  a  brisk  walk,  Avon  taking 
the  lead,  with  the  young  Indian  close  behind 
him  and  the  captain  at  his  heels. 

Yery  few  minutes  were  required  to  pass  over 
the  intervening  space,  but  while  doing  so 
Captain  Shirril  made  clear  several  facts  which 
needed  explanation.  To  these  may  be  added 
others  that  came  to  light  afterward. 

As  has  been  intimated  elsewhere,  the  sus- 
picions of  Gleeson  regarding  Shackaye  were 
correct.  He  had  joined  the  cattlemen  for  the 
purpose  of  helping  Wygwind  and  his  band  to 
despoil  them.  He  was  unable  to  do  this  at 
the  time  the  cabin  was  attacked,  and  therefore 
kept  in  the  background  until  the  present 
opportunity  presented  itself.  The  intention 
of  the  Comanches,  as  first  formed,  was  to 
stampede  the  animals  on  some  favorable 
night,  and  thus  secure  possession  of  a  large 
number;  but  there  was  great  risk  in  the 
attempt,  since  the  cowboys  were  watchful, 
and  the  cattle  being  branded,  it  would  have 
been  almost  impossible  for  the  thieves  to  dis- 
pose of  them,  even  if  able  to  run  them  beyond 


THE  FLANK  MOVEMENT.  307 

reach  of  their  owners.  The  Great  Cattle  Trail 
is  about  a  hundred  yards  in  width,  with 
smaller  paths  weaving  in  and  out  along  the 
edges,  all  so  distinctly  marked  that  no  one  can 
go  astray,  unless  the  path  is  temporarily  oblit- 
erated by  snow.  The  diversion  of  a  consider- 
able number  of  cattle  would  leave  footprints 
that  could  be  readily  followed,  and  Captain 
Dohm  Shirril  was  not  the  man  to  submit  to 
such  despoilment,  so  long  as  there  remained 
the  possibility  of  preventing  it. 

The  Comanches,  however,  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  herd  kept  track  of  all  its  movements. 
The  cunning  Shackaye  succeeded  in  holding 
occasional  communication  with  them,  and 
learned  of  their  change  of  plan.  It  was 
decided  to  make  the  captain  prisoner  on  the 
first  opportunity,  and  hold  him  for  ransom. 

Since  it  was  his  practice  to  take  his  nephew 
with  him  on  almost  every  excursion  he  made 
from  camp,  Shackaye  conceived  it  necessary  to 
the  success  of  the  plot  that  Avon  should  be 
put  out  of  the  way.  It  has  been  shown  that 
he  made  the  attempt  on  the  preceding  night 
and  came  within  a  hair  of  success.  It  was 


308  THE  GREAT  CATTLE  TRAIL. 

characteristic  of  his  race  that  the  atrocious 
crime  was  undertaken  by  him  as  a  matter  of 
course. 

The  very  chance  for  which  Wygwind  and 
his  band  were  waiting  came  that  morning 
when  Captain  Shirril,  his  nephew,  and  Shack- 
aye  set  out  to  hunt  the  estray  cattle.  While 
Avon  was  engaged  in  conquering  the  trouble- 
some steer,  with  the  captain  attentively  watch- 
ing him,  Shackaye  remounted  his  horse,  from 
which  he  had  been  thrown,  and  made  all  haste 
to  the  hills. 

Wygwind  and  his  warriors  were  ready,  and 
indeed  met  him  on  his  way  thither.  He  took 
no  part  in  the  fight,  but  watched  it  from  his 
refuge.  When  the  last  desperate  struggle 
took  place  he  spurred  forward  and  joined  the 
assailants. 

The  intention  of  the  Comanches  had  been  to 
shoot  down  Avon,  but  to  spare  his  uncle,  and 
it  was  curious  that  the  very  opposite  result 
was  effected.  It  was  impossible  that  Captain 
Shirril  should  escape  in  the  melee,  though  his 
foes  meant  only  to  shoot  down  the  horses  and 
slay  his  companion. 


THE  FLANK  MOVEMENT.  309 

Shackaye  arrived  at  the  critical  moment, 
when  the  helpless  leader  was  being  lifted  upon 
the  horse  of  Wygwind  in  front  of  him,  and 
Avon  lay  senseless  beneath  the  body  of  the 
mustang.  The  fact  that  Thunderbolt  was  still 
lying  on  the  ground  bleeding  from  his  two 
flesh  wounds  led  to  the  belief  that  he  was  mor- 
tally hurt,  and  no  effort,  therefore,  was  made 
to  take  him  away. 

Despite  the  savage  nature  of  Shackaye,  a 
feeling  of  gratitude  had  been  roused  within 
him  by  the  act  of  Avon  in  saving  him  from  the 
enraged  steer.  Whether  the  white  youth  was 
already  dead  or  not  he  did  not  know,  but  he 
interposed  a  vigorous  plea  that  no  further 
harm  should  be  done  him.  He  had  performed 
his  own  part  so  well  that  his  prayers  had  some 
effect,  while  the  necessity  for  urgent  haste  in 
leaving  before  the  arrival  of  the  cowboys,  who 
were  coining  over  the  ridge,  led  to  the  flight 
of  the  whole  party  of  Comanches  without 
harming  a  hair  of  his  head. 

It  will  be  readily  understood  that  none  of 
the  warriors  could  hold  any  suspicion  of 
Shackaye' s  loyalty  toward  them  and  their  in- 


310  THE  GREAT   CATTLE  TRAIL. 

terests.  When,  therefore,  the  time  came  for 
the  opening  of  the  negotiations  with  the  cow- 
boys, the  wounded  and  unarmed  captain  was 
left  in  charge  of  Shackaye,  while  the  others 
went  forward  and  maintained  their  places 
within  reach  of  Wygwind  and  Eichita,  during 
their  interview  with  Gleeson.  This  was  simply 
prudence  on  their  part,  since  they  knew  there 
was  the  best  reason  for  believing  the  whites 
would  instantly  seize  any  advantage  offered 
them. 

Captain  Shirril  now  did  an  exceedingly  clever 
thing.  He  saw  it  was  useless  to  appeal  to 
Shackaye' s  kindly  feelings  toward  himself, 
but  he  had  noticed  his  vigorous  efforts  to  save 
his  nephew  from  harm,  when  he  lay  senseless 
under  the  body  of  the  mustang.  He  saw  that, 
despite  the  villainous  nature  of  the  youth,  he 
entertained  a  strong  regard  for  Avon,  and  upon 
that  regard  he  wrought,  by  representing  the 
sorrow  that  would  come  to  him,  if  his  uncle 
suffered  further.  He  knew  his  heart  would  be 
broken  and  he  could  never,  never  recover  from 
his  woe. 

To  Shackaye' s  reply  that  the  chief  Wyg- 


THE  FLANK  MOVEMENT.  311 

wind  meant  to  allow  the  friends  of  the  prisoner 
to  buy  him  back,  Captain  Shirril  dwelt  upon 
the  impossibility  of  such  a  thing.  He  pressed 
his  view  of  the  case  with  such  vigor  that 
Shackaye,  influenced  alone  by  his  gratitude 
to  Avon,  agreed  to  conduct  the  captain  out 
of  the  hills,  where  he  could  make  his  way  to 
camp  undetected,  provided  the  interview  be- 
tween Wygwind  and  the  Texan  was  not 
ended  in  time  for  the  Comanches  to  discover 
what  had  been  done. 

It  need  not  be  said  that  Captain  Shirril 
seized  the  opportunity  thus  offered,  and 
began  limping  forward,  behind  his  guide,  who 
encountered  Avon  Burnet  a  few  minutes  later. 

The  expectation  was  that  Shackaye  would 
return  to  camp  with  his  two  friends,  since  he 
would  be  assured  of  good  treatment  despite 
his  former  unfaithfulness,  and  especially  since 
it  was  unsafe  for  him  to  remain  among  those 
to  whom  he  could  never  justify  his  course  of 
action.  But  after  the  captain  was  assisted  on 
the  back  of  Thunderbolt,  and  his  nephew  took 
his  place,  so  as  to  help  him  in  keeping  his  seat, 
the  young  Comanche  obstinately  refused. 


312  THE  GREAT   CATTLE  TRAIL. 

They  tarried  to  urge  him  to  save  his  life  by 
such  a  course,  but  he  ended  the  argument  by 
abruptly  turning  about  and  hurrying  along 
the  path,  where  he  speedily  vanished. 

"There's  no  use  of  waiting,"  said  the  cap- 
tain, starting  Thunderbolt  forward;  " I  can't 
understand  his  obduracy." 

"He  must  be  afraid  of  our  men." 

"But  he  knows  the  danger  is  a  thousand- 
fold greater  among  his  own  people — hark!" 

The  sharp  report  of  a  rifle  rang  among  the 
hills  behind  them,  accompanied  by  a  wild  cry 
of  mortal  pain. 

"He  has  paid  with  his  life  for  his  friend- 
ship!" whispered  the  captain,  instantly 
spurring  up  Thunderbolt  to  a  dead  run. 

Such  was  the  truth.  Shackaye  could  offer 
no  excuse  for  what  he  had  done,  nor  did  he 
attempt  to  do  so.  His  act  was  discovered 
sooner  than  he  anticipated,  and  he  died  at  the 
hands  of  the  infuriated  chieftain  Wygwind, 
before  those  whom  he  had  saved  were  beyond 
reach  of  the  sound  which  told  of  the  comple- 
tion of  the  tragedy. 

The  Comanches  attempted  pursuit,  but  the 


THE  FLANK   MOVEMENT.  313 

start  obtained  by  the  fugitives,  brief  as  it  was, 
sufficed,  and  they  had  not  ridden  far  when 
they  met  the  whole  band  of  cowboys  gallop- 
ing to  their  defence.  Gleeson  and  his  com- 
rades would  have  been  glad  had  the  red  men 
ventured  out  upon  the  plain  beyond  the 
shelter  of  the  hills,  but  Wygwind  and  his 
warriors  were  too  wise  to  do  so. 


THE  END. 


No.  2  of  the  Forest  and  Prairie  Series  will  be  "  The  Patb 
in  the  Ravine." 


THE   JOHN   C.    WINSTON    CO/S    POPULAR   JUVENILES. 


J.  T.  TROWBRIDGE. 

NEITHER  as  a  writer  does  he  stand  apart  from  the  gie*t 
Ctutrents  of  life  and  select  some  exceptional  phase  or  odd 
combination  of  circumstances.  He  stands  on  the  common 
level  and  appeals  to  the  universal  heart,  and  all  that  he  sug- 
gests or  achieves  is  on  the  plane  and  in  the  line  of  march  of 
the  great  body  of  humanity. 

The  Jack  Hazard  series  of  stories,  published  in  the  late 
Our  Young  Folks,  and  continued  in  the  first  volume  of  St. 
Nicholas,  under  the  title  of  "Fast  Friends,"  is  no  doubt 
destined  to  hold  a  high  place  in  this  class  of  literature.  The 
delight  of  the  boys  in  them  (and  of  their  seniors,  too)  is 
well  founded.  They  go  to  the  right  spot  every  time.  Trow- 
bridge  knows  the  heart  of  a  boy  like  a  book,  and  the  heart 
of  a  man,  too,  and  he  has  laid  them  both  open  in  these  books 
in  a  most  successful  manner.  Apart  from  the  qualities  that 
render  the  series  so  attractive  to  all  young  readers,  they 
have  great  value  on  account  of  their  portraitures  of  American 
country  life  and  character.  The  drawing  is  wonderfully 
accurate,  and  as  spirited  as  it  is  true.  The  constable,  Sel- 
lick,  is  an  original  character,  and  as  minor  figures  where  will 
we  find  anything  better  than  Miss  Wansey,  and  Mr.  P.  Pip- 
kin, Esq.  The  picture  of  Mr.  Dink's  school,  too,  is  capital, 
and  where  else  in  fiction  is  there  a  better  nick-name  than 
that  the  boys  gave  to  poor  little  Stephen  Treadwell,  "Step 
Hen,"  as  he  himself  pronounced  his  name  in  an  unfortunate 
moment  when  he  saw  it  in  print  for  the  first  time  in  his  les- 
son in  school. 

On  the  whole,  these  books  are  very  satisfactory,  and 
afford  the  critical  reader  the  rare  pleasure  of  the  works  that 
are  just  adequate,  that  easily  fulfill  themselves  and  accon* 
plish  all  they  set  out  to  do. — Scribner's  Monthly. 


THE   JOHN   C.   WINSTON   CO/S    POPULAR  JUVENILES. 

JACK  HAZARD  SERIES. 

6  vols.  BY  J.  T.  TROWBRIDGE.  17.25 

Tack  Hazard  and  His  Fortunes.   Doing  His  Best. 

The  Young  Surveyor.  A  Chance  for  Himself. 

Fast  Friends.  Lawrence's  Adventures. 


,.V  ,,  "X 

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